The first "hello": a photo project about the first meeting of a mother and baby

Nothing compares to the joy, pain, fear, and delight of meeting your child for the first time. Pure human emotions are captured at the deepest level in the photo project "The First Hello Project."





Two Sydney mothers, Bel Pangburn and River Bennett, capture everything that happens between babies and parents in the first hours after birth.

"There's such energy in the room!" the photographers say.



"Nothing is staged, no one is posing, just pure human emotion, what we are most passionate about when we photograph. We are always honored to witness this moment. Nothing compares to witnessing the birth of a child. This image never leaves you," the photographers add.

Together, the women are working on The First Hello Project — "First breath. First touch. First cry. First 'hello.'" The idea for the project was born from Bell and River's passion for birth photography and documenting this unforgettable moment for the family. They post their vibrant and emotional photos on social media, celebrating new life.



The response to their work has been overwhelming. One client wrote a touching note describing what it's like to look back on her child's birth photos after the fact.



"When I look back at the photos of my daughter's birth, a month later, a year later, and now almost three years later, I go back and experience it in a new way," she shares. "I remember a strength I never knew I had, the depth of emotion on my husband's face, and that moment—when my little love looked into my eyes and captured my heart."



Every birth story is unique, but there was one that Bell and River will never forget. That time, their baby was born in the amniotic sac.

"You see a case like that once in 80,000. It was simply amazing."



The photographers themselves have children. River has three sons, and Bell has a two-year-old daughter. The mothers say their own birth experiences helped shape the project's direction, and because they themselves have given birth, they can relate to their subjects.