Raw Photos Of C-Section Newborns Destroy Warm And Fuzzy Concept Of Childbirth
A mewling little thing, covered in blood and whatever vernix. That‘s how baby looks like the first moments of his life and Christian Berthelot hell bent on showing that to the world. In his series called „Cesar“ – aptly named after the procedure used to bring all of his „little models“ into the world – all baby photographs are taken 3 to 18 minutes after the newborns are lifted out of their mothers.It took Christian six months of training to eventually be let in the operating room and observe the miracle of birth through his camera lens.
Many people don’t like the photographs, some claiming they look unreal. But Christian thinks that it‘s important for people to see birth like it is – full of blood and fluids and crying. More than that, he finds it beautiful.
“When I saw [my son] for the first time, he was bloodied and covered in this white substance called vernix,” Berthelot recalls his first time seeing a baby delivered via a Cesarean. “He was like a warrior who has just won his first battle, like an angel out of darkness. What a joy to hear him scream”.
So far, 40 women agreed to let him take pictures of their newly emergent goblin champion. The whole lot of them can be seen (in pictures) at the Circulation(s) festival in Paris, running until March 5, 2015.
More info: christianberthelot.com | festival-circulations.com (h/t: boredpanda)
Leanne – 13 seconds after birth
Liza – 3 seconds after birth
Steven – 15 seconds after birth
Kevin – 13 seconds after birth
Mael – 18 seconds after birth
Louann – 14 seconds after birth
Lize – 9 seconds after birth
Margaux – 7 seconds after birth
Chloé – 11 seconds after birth
Romane – 8 seconds after birth
Got wisdom to pour?
I appreciate the reality of these situations being shown in photographs; life which has existed before being birthed into the world is beautiful to see in real life and makes me excited for these babies and happy for the awesome modern technology of this day and age.
However, given the light of the current view of childbirth, what exactly was the purpose in creating this photoset? Is it merely for the affect of the views I stated above or to propagate the “ick factor” of childbirth to sort of “scare off” or gross out potential mothers? I’m just curious is all; super happy that these are posted, don’t think I’m not, I just wonder what the effects of these pictures could be is all. :)
I actually think they still look adorable. The umbilical chords are the only bit I don’t like.
Weirdly lot of them look like they just got rescued from a mine, especially the last one
The beauty of life born… so real, surreality surrealism serene… and then one asks… what was the first sound? Minds eye sight…. ?
Dark and gross. Quite dramatic with the vignette, makes them look like they are falling. Did he set out to make them ominous like this? I know its not all perfume and flowers, but these make babies look disgusting and evil, and honestly not in an honest way.