My passion for the mothers of our community extends past just taking pictures. I am here to plan with you, to care for you, to celebrate this milestone alongside of you, and to connect you with the other amazing birth and motherhood support resources in the Central Virginia area.
“Liz is not only incredibly talented, she is gracious and respectful, and instantly sets everyone around her at ease. As she blends in and works silently, her love and honor for the laboring woman and the birth process enable her to capture candid moments that show pure emotion and love. With her calm presence, attentiveness and intuition she is an absolute delight and blessing to work with!”
— Lynn Joshua, Certified Birth Doula
“There aren’t enough kind words to say about Liz and her photography skills. There are many photographers to choose from but Liz is truly a professional. She is a baby whisperer and works hard to get the perfect shot. We’ve done maternity pictures, newborn, and a milestone session so far with Liz and have been pleased with all of our galleries. Her studio wardrobe is so convenient and her personality will put you at ease. With Liz Cook Photography you are in great hands. She is not only a great photographer but a great person who makes the entire process feel comfortable. I am so glad we have these precious pictures to treasure for a lifetime.”
— Samantha S.
“Liz was such a pleasure to work with! She is so personable and friendly. Family photos always tend to be a stressful time, particularly when you’ve just had a baby a week before, but Liz made the atmosphere and experience so enjoyable! She not only made beautiful quality photos of our family and new baby, but also made me feel so beautiful which meant so much to me in those early postpartum days! It was so amazing and helpful that she had a whole wardrobe with options suitable for new mothers that was both very comfortable and very flattering. She was wonderfully patient with our other children (ages 5,3,2) and I never felt as though she was frustrated or stressed if the kids weren’t quite as cooperative as requested. I can without a doubt say she has become our official family photographer for life!“
— Ellen S.
“My husband and I have worked with Liz on several different occasions! Engagement, wedding, newborn, and family photos! She is an amazing photographer as well as an amazing person. My husband isn’t much of a picture guy and after leaving from each session with Liz he always says how easy and effortless it was. I’m so thankful since I enjoy getting beautiful professional photos done. Liz is truly talented and I am always speechless once I see the final photos. To anyone considering working with her you will not be disappointed! From the very first pictures she took of my family to now they still be tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. She is a true gem and has quickly become a great friend.”
— Chelsea B.
“I have not enough words to describe Liz's work and amazing sensitiveness to capture every touch and look. She is so sweet, her studio is amazing and the pictures I received were stunning! I will for sure be doing many more photoshoots with her!”
— Marcela R.
“I have been getting so much delighted feedback from family and friends about our lovely newborn pictures! We are so incredibly happy with all the pictures. You captured Calvin perfectly, from his grumpy sleepy face to the overwhelming love we feel for this little guy. True to my words, his pictures are plastered all over our house. I wouldn't change a thing! Thank you so much for all your work. You truly have an amazing gift!"
— Linda M.
"We have been using Liz for almost 5 years now, and could not think of using anyone else. From our wedding to the birth of our first child, the results have been nothing but amazing. Not only is her work stunning, but her personality is second to none. She has a way of making you feel comfortable and at ease, which I didn’t think was possible... the images Liz has captured are moments we will never get back, and an investment that will be cherished forever."
— Adam & Lee Ann W.
Due to the private nature of this type of service, public portfolio images are limited. Please inquire to see more work and request further information, or click here to read client testimonials.
There's something you should know about me before you hire me to photograph your birth. I'm pretty much going to be silently cheering you on throughout your whole birth experience. I can't help it. I just think the entire event is so amazing. That mothers are amazing.
And then after your birth? We will definitely be keeping in touch. If possible, I'll hand-deliver your products in-person so we have a chance to talk about how things are going (and how you feel about how everything went). And if you’re comfortable, I’ll follow up with you during postpartum like you would expect a friend to do.
Birth is just too intimate an event not to have a tiny (forever) bond with each person who is present during your experience. But honestly, that's my favorite part of this job; sharing motherhood with other women... talking through the tough stuff and cherishing the beautiful pieces of the journey... together.
Birth is my element and I consider it an honor to celebrate alongside of you as you work with your support team to bring your baby into this world. I will be here for you from the planning stage through the first few days of your baby’s life and even beyond if you’ll have me!
an in-person consultation in the studio to discuss your hopes and expectations
my time on-call starting from your 39th week of pregnancy until baby is born
photography coverage beginning during active labor and lasting until up to 2hrs post birth
a private, online gallery to view and download 100+ digital images, delivered within 30 days of birth
Birth photography is the art of capturing your entire birth experience. From labor and delivery to your baby’s first kisses, snuggles and meeting family members... imagine those all encompassed in a photojournalistic and unobtrusive manner.
Due to the unpredictability of birth, the cost reflects the service you receive as well as the time invested by me as your photographer. I will be on call for a month surrounding your due date, keeping my schedule clear of all travel plans. $500 is due at booking to reserve your on-call month. All pricing is subject to Virginia's 5% sales tax for Virginia residents.
I arrive at your birth once active labor has started (about 5-6cm dilated) and stay until the baby is all clean and settled into your arms, usually a few hours after delivery.
Absolutely. It is vital that we meet and you are comfortable with my presence during your birth. If we find that our personalities are not a good match, I am happy to recommend other local photographers.
I ask that I am given as much notice as possible of impending labor (showing any signs at all) so that I can begin making arrangements for childcare, but I understand births happen at all hours of the day or night. You can call or text me at any time and I will be there as soon as possible, even if it is at 2am!
I understand. If this is a big concern of yours, of course I am happy to respect your comfort level (which is of upmost importance during labor). We can talk in person about this and your limitations. I will be as honest as possible about whether or not I will feel your limits may restrict the outcome of your birth session.
Emotions. Moments. The story. Prior to your birth, we will discuss what you are comfortable with me photographing. Don't worry, I won't get that shot if you don't want me to. This is something we'll nail down before you go into labor!
There is a lot of activity surrounding a c-section that creates a story worth being told through photographs! I will come with you to the hospital and can catch all of the going on's as you prepare to enter the OR. If I am unable to join you in the OR, I will send my camera in with your parter (I will put the camera on auto). Once you are in recovery and reunited with your baby, I will continue to capture your birth story as you enjoy your first moments holding and snuggling with your new baby. I will process and deliver all of the images (even those taken by your partner).
I will do my absolute best to be at your labor despite not being on-call. If I am able to come, I will of course be sensitive to the situation at hand and capture as much as I possibly can. If I were to miss your birth, it is possible to use your birth photography investment as a credit towards a newborn session, or any other type of portrait session.
I encourage all serious inquiries to reserve their estimated due month with me as soon as they know they want to book me as their birth photographer. Your retainer fee remains refundable until you reach your second trimester. If something were to happen with your pregnancy during the second or third trimester that prevents me from fulfilling the services you reserved, your retainer fee can be forwarded dollar-to-dollar to another service or product of your choice. This credit will not expire.
If I were to miss your birth during the time in which I am on-call (within 2 weeks of your EDD), you can use your birth photography investment as a credit towards any other type of baby or family session I offer.
Please call or text me as soon as something begins to happen. This gives me a good heads up to prepare childcare for my children. Once you are in active labor, have your partner keep in touch with me and I will come right over as soon as I can.
No way. Birth is beautiful and intimate, but there are plenty of images I can use on the internet to display the beauty of birth without showing nudity of any kind. That said, there may be a time after the birth when I ask if I can lay a blanket over you or the baby to help to keep the images conservative, but this is a very rare occurrence. If you decide you do not want any of your images shared publicly, I will absolutely respect your wishes for privacy.
7 days before and 21 days after your due date - for a total of four weeks.
Typically I stay for about 2hrs or so after delivery. This usually gives us enough time to capture all of the tiny events that occur during early postpartum wrapping up with you settling into your alone time with your baby. I will ask before I leave if there are any other photos you would like me to take to make sure you are comfortable with my departure time.
You will receive a few of the best images of your baby in email within 48 hours of the birth. The rest will be delivered through a digital download approximately 30 days after the baby's birthday.
I will assess the situation and make a decision in the moment. Most likely I will stick around for some time either until the situation has passed or until someone is able to update me. Then, I can use my experience to judge what my next step should be.
I use all professional-grade equipment from the Canon line. I do have an external flash and I bring it with me to births, but I don’t often use it. I love to capture the true atmosphere of births to help tell an accurate picture story of your experience.
Birth photography is not for everyone and I understand that! However, I would absolutely recommend booking some sort of baby photo session to capture these fleeting moments. A hospital session the day after your baby is born is a great substitute for birth photography. I do get asked from time to time to help potential clients choose between a hospital or at-home newborn session. Both session types have their own benefits, but if I had to choose, I would pick a hospital session, hands down. Those are memories that can never be recaptured and you cannot book a hospital session on a whim after you deliver. An in-home newborn session at two weeks or two months can always be scheduled after you are released from the hospital and can be similar. However, capturing the short season of your hospital stay and those first hours (literally) of your baby's life is a priceless investment you won't regret choosing.
On-Call Birth Clients: Open 24 Hours
Initial Consultations: Mon - Thu 12pm-5pm
Studio Hours: By Appointment Only
Liz Cook Photography works out of Lynchburg, Virginia and serves the Central Virginia area including Lynchburg, Bedford, Roanoke, Amherst, Charlottesville, Appomattox and Farmville. I have worked at a variety of hospitals including Lynchburg's Virginia Baptist Birth Center, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, Centra Southside Community Hospital, Winchester Medical Center, and INOVA Birth Center.
International Association of Professional Birth Photographers, Director
Virginia Birth Photographers, Founder
Professional Photographer's Association, Member
Certified Professional Birth Photographers, Member
Childbirth International, Member
Certified Professional Birth Photographer, completed in 2020
Birth Boot Camp Certified Doula, completed & certified in October 2020
ToLabor Birth Doula Training, completed in 2014
DONA Birth Doula Training, completed in 2013
“Liz Cook is an incredibly talented and attentive professional. Her sweet and gentle countenance is paired with her ability to capture the most tender and joyful moments of the births that she photographs. Liz’s photos will bring you years of enjoyment as they draw you back to the delight and bliss of your birth experience.”
