Interview with a Photographer: A birth-attending photographer talks about the birth of life and her thoughts on the photo exhibition 'Welcome.'

"Who on earth decided what a 'normal' birth is?"

Vaginal delivery, cesarean section, epidural, home birth.
There are many forms of childbirth, and each one is a time to face the life being born. However, in reality, it is also true that there is a yardstick of superiority based on whether one has experienced labor pains.
Birth-attending photographer tonco lets go of such yardsticks and conveys the question "How you give birth is how you want to live"through her photography.

The photos exhibited in the photo exhibition 'Welcome.', which tours 14 locations nationwide, show various forms of birth, such as births welcomed at home, in cesarean section operating rooms, and vaginal deliveries at midwifery clinics.

In this interview, she spoke about the importance of "choosing how to give birth and knowing the options to do so," as well as her own experiences and thoughts. When you finish reading, the question "How do I want to give birth?" and "How have I faced my own child?" will surely have sprouted within you as well.

There is no right answer to childbirth. I decide "how to give birth"

—You have photographed many births so far. Although there are naturally many forms of childbirth, why are so many people bound by what is "normal"?

tonco: That is a question I still feel today. As a premise, I think there are really very few opportunities to think about "how I want to give birth."I think there are really very few opportunities to think about "how I want to give birth."When you get pregnant, you choose which hospital to give birth at, but I feel that few people choose "how they want to give birth." Many people don't even know that there are options for how to give birth. Moreover, vaginal delivery is spoken of as if it were the default. When you are in that kind of atmosphere, you unconsciously assume that "I have to give birth this way." In fact, there should be many methods and ways of thinking, but people tend to head toward one single correct answer.

—So, because "everyone else is doing it" or "that's normal," the options narrow down without you realizing it.

tonco: That's right. But in reality, there are various styles of delivery in hospitals, and there are also options like midwifery clinics and home births. You can choose for yourself, including cesarean sections and epidurals."I'm glad I chose this way of giving birth"I think the most important thing is whether you can feel at ease with your choice.

—It's peace of mind precisely because you "chose it yourself."

tonco: That's right. Also, "whether you chose it with conviction" is important. Childbirth is a precious time to face life, but on the other hand, it doesn't always go as planned. There are many things that don't go the way you want. That is precisely why I think the process of "thinking for yourself and choosing for yourself" will support you later on.

—"What kind of birth you choose" also connects to "how you want to live."

tonco: Childbirth is not a goal, but a part of life and life itself. I think it is most important to "choose" a comfortable birth style for yourself.

"I want to capture this moment" The trigger for becoming a birth-attending photographer

—It seems that your activities after giving birth were the trigger for wanting to "continue taking photos of births."

tonco: The midwifery clinic that took care of me during childbirth had events that I could participate in regularly even after giving birth, and I was involved as a participant. This is because I heard from the midwives during my visits that "midwifery clinics are decreasing nationwide," and I wanted to be of help.
While holding events, I met a photographer. Their photos were truly wonderful, and I was moved, thinking, "Photography can move people's emotions this much." I had owned a camera as a hobby until then, but that encounter led me to start studying from scratch, thinking, "I want to learn this properly."

—Please tell us about the time when you started working as a photographer.

tonco: When I first started working as a photographer, I never imagined I would be taking photos of births. That was because I was just starting to gain experience by taking profile photos or photographing talks and events I organized myself.
A midwife who saw me like that asked me, "Won't you take photos of a birth?" I was very confused, thinking, "There are few precedents, can I really take them?" but when I asked why she wanted them taken, she was putting effort into sex education activities and had a strong desire to use photos of her own birth as teaching materials and convey them to many people. Moved by those activities and her enthusiasm, I decided to take on the challenge, thinking, "If there is something I can do."

—How was your first birth shoot?
tonco: It was a trembling time. To be allowed to witness the moment a baby is born. When I looked back at the photos I had taken, I felt that "capturing the time spent facing life in photos has great meaning."

—It seems that after that, there was a big response when you posted birth photos on Instagram.

tonco:I wanted many people to see these photos, so with the cooperation of the person involved, I posted them on Instagram. Then, there was an immediate big response, and many people contacted me saying, "I want you to take mine too," or were moved, saying, "I didn't know you could capture childbirth in photos." I realized that although many people experience childbirth, it is actually a very "invisible" world.

—You decided to convey the diversity and individuality of childbirth through "photography," didn't you?

tonco: Yes. How you give birth and who you want to welcome that moment with is individual, and it should be possible to choose diversely. Knowing that there are options and choosing while having a dialogue with your own body and mind leads to "freedom." Through photography, I started working as a "birth-attending photographer" because I wanted as many people as possible to face and think deeply about their own births.

The photo exhibition that tells a story: 'Welcome.'

―The photo exhibition 'Welcome.' is essential when talking about your work, tonco. Could you tell us what inspired you to start this exhibition?

tonco: At first, I never imagined I would hold a photo exhibition. I wanted to spread awareness of birth photography, but I hesitated because I felt the hurdle was too high. However, the people around me strongly encouraged me, saying, 'Just give it a try,' and that allowed me to make it happen. That was when I decided on the title 'Welcome.'.

―What kind of meaning did you put into the title 'Welcome.'?

tonco: One meaning is 'Welcome to this world.'. It is a feeling of welcome from me, having witnessed the moment life was born, to the baby.
And the other is 'Welcome to your own story.'. I wanted to make it an exhibition that serves as a gateway where people can look at the photos and reconnect with their own memories, or where those who haven't experienced childbirth yet can reflect on their future selves.

―How was the response to the photo exhibition?

tonco: I stayed at the gallery for a week during the first exhibition. What was impressive was that many people stood in front of the photos and shared their own experiences while shedding tears. They would open up about feelings they had kept deep inside, saying things like, 'Actually, I haven't been able to tell anyone this before...', and older people would talk about their births as if they had happened just yesterday. Seeing that, I felt once again that 'no matter how much time passes, childbirth remains deep in the heart.'

―So it is a 'photo exhibition that tells a story,' isn't it?

tonco: I had responses when I posted on social media, but I felt that the exhibition reached people even more deeply.
On the first day, we also held a cross-talk event with a social activist. He is a father who lost his 4-year-old son and shares the importance of 'living in the present' from the perspective of 'death.' We held an event called 'Welcome, see you again,' to discuss the seemingly contradictory themes of birth and death and to pose the question, 'How do you live in the present?'.
Thankfully, we received a great response, and due to requests like 'I want you to hold it here too' or 'Please come to our local area,' we have held it 14 times so far in various places, including cafes, public facilities, movie screening venues, and lecture halls.

When facing a Cesarean section

―I heard you also attended a Cesarean section shoot.

tonco: Yes. It started with an encounter with a woman who came to the photo exhibition I held in Kanazawa. She had given birth via Cesarean section, and after seeing the exhibited photos, she told me, 'I realized that actually, I wanted to give birth vaginally.' It was a positive statement, but at that moment, I strongly felt that this was a theme I could not avoid.

―What do you mean by a theme you could not avoid?

tonco: Until then, I had intended to share the message that 'every birth is wonderful,' but I realized with a start that because I had many photos of vaginal births, I might have been unintentionally creating an atmosphere that 'vaginal birth is the ideal.' I wanted to convey that there is absolutely no hierarchy in how one gives birth and that the birth of life is precious, but I realized I hadn't been able to express that through my photos. Actually, even before meeting this woman, I had wanted to take photos of a Cesarean section and had been in contact with hospitals and midwives. By chance, there was a pregnant woman scheduled for a Cesarean section two days later, and I was allowed to attend the surgery.

―What did you feel when you actually took photos in the operating room?

tonco: Starting from the preparation for anesthesia, the process of cutting through layers of skin, and the moment the baby appeared, I felt a sensation that made me tremble from the depths of my body, thinking, 'Oh, life is truly here, it is being born.'

―It was an experience that also overlapped with your own roots, wasn't it?

tonco: I was born via Cesarean section myself. Ever since I was old enough to understand, my mother would say apologetically, 'I'm sorry I couldn't give birth to you vaginally.' I would reply, 'That has nothing to do with it, it's okay,' but deep down, I think I had been ranking them, thinking, 'Unlike my mother, I have given birth to three children vaginally.' However, when I actually stood at the surgery site and saw the moment of facing life right in front of me, I was able to truly feel, 'My mother risked her life to welcome me.' After returning home, I immediately cried and told my mother, 'Thank you for giving birth to me.' I had said it many times before, but I feel that was the first time I truly meant it.

―You can feel the wonder of life being born.

tonco: The birth of life into this world is truly an irreplaceable miracle. Through photographing many families, I have felt that it is so precious and powerful that no amount of words can fully express it. The reason I continue the photo exhibition is because I want to deliver this emotion to as many people as possible. I want to continue capturing the moments of welcoming life just as they are.

What I want to convey is that 'you can choose for yourself'

—Is there anything you would like to convey to those who are about to give birth or to the younger generation?

tonco: “I want people to know that they can choose their own birth experience.” The younger generation who hasn't experienced it yet often feels that childbirth is something “far away.” There is little information, and it is not a topic that people can easily talk about. That is precisely why I want them to feel “the moment life is born” through photography.I want them to feel the moment life is born. Just knowing that “there are births like this” and “you can choose your birth” will, I think, greatly broaden their perspective.

—Finally, what kind of place do you want the photo exhibition to be?

tonco: Through the photo exhibition, I want to quietly offer options, saying, “There is a world like this” or “There is a way of facing it like this.” What I want to deliver is not “correctness” but “the freedom to choose.” Because there are many forms of childbirth, child-rearing, and life, I want it to be a world where people can make choices. I would be happy if this photo exhibition could be the gateway to that.
In addition to the photo exhibition, I am active as an event organizer, creating events where moms and local people can gather easily, and creating places and times where anyone can drop by. If someone who has a hard time going out due to postpartum or child-rearing finally gathers the courage to go out, and happens to have an opportunity to encounter my activities, has an opportunity to talk to someone at an event, or has an opportunity to look back on their own birth at the photo exhibition... it would be my greatest wish if that place could become a place where they can feel, “I can be at ease here.” I continue my activities believing in such small miracles.

Photo Exhibition Schedule

⚫︎8/8 (Fri) Sone OZONE, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture 10:30-15:00

⚫︎8/9 (Sat) Anfare 1st Floor, Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture 10:30-16:00
Talk event included

⚫︎8/24 (Sun) Kishiwada City Community Center 4th Floor, Osaka Prefecture 14:00-16:00
great thanks music LIVE included

⚫︎8/25 (Mon) Daian-ji Temple, Nara City, Nara Prefecture
Cross-talk with Emi Tani-ai and Keinin Horikoshi, and great thanks music LIVE included

⚫︎9/14 (Sun) Panndry (Bread and Laundry), Hirano Ward, Osaka City
Details to follow

⚫︎10/1, 2, 3 (Tentative dates)
In Fujieda City and Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Details to follow

⚫︎10/13 (Holiday) Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Details to follow

⚫︎10/19 (Sun) Rental Space ipponbari, Sumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City
Exhibition only

⚫︎11/2 (Sun) Kita Ward, Kyoto City
Details to follow

We are looking for businesses and individuals who would like to host or sponsor the photo exhibition.

Why not bring “Welcome.” to your town or venue?
So far, it has been held in various places across the country, including cafes, public facilities, movie screening venues, and lecture halls. We also value creating new spaces together with the local community and those who gather, such as by holding music events or cross-talks on the final day of the photo exhibition.

We are looking for businesses that will co-host the photo exhibition and individuals who will sponsor it. I would be happy if we could expand the places where we deliver the story of life across the country together.

If you are interested, please contact us via Instagram DM. We look forward to hearing from you.

Editor's Note

To be present at the moment life is born and to capture that story in photographs.
To continue creating a place that gently stays close to someone's tears and memories.
To those who experienced childbirth decades ago and have finished raising their children,
To moms and dads who keep working hard every day while thinking, “Maybe I can't do this anymore,”
To pregnant women who are anxious while protecting the life inside them, wondering, “Will I be able to raise them properly?”
To the younger generation who feel that the birth of life is something from a distant world,
I hope this story gently reaches everyone's heart.

Interview, Composition, and Writing / Ayaka Kimata (“Tashikana Koto” Solo Editorial Department)