When Central Hawke’s Bay photographer Jackie Lowry gets a call to come to the hospital, she knows two things - it’s not going to be a normal photo session and there is no rule book for how it is going to work.
Lowry is part of Heartfelt, a volunteer
Stillborn photography: Central Hawke’s Bay snapper captures heartfelt memories for bereaved families
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Lowry, who has volunteered since 2017, said it was by chance that she came across the idea through a community blog, with another photographer sharing their experience on the subject.
“I had this real burning and feeling in my gut that was saying ‘you are going to do this, you have got to do this’.”
She said the desire to be a part of remembrance photography led her down the path to Heartfelt, which she contacted to become part of the Hawke’s Bay Hospital “kete” of support for bereaved families.
Lowry, who is based in Ashley Clinton - around an hour from the hospital - said she initially battled with herself over thoughts of not being good enough for the role.
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She had previously worked as a family photographer and taken photos of her own children playing sports.
“It was facing the very idea that you are dealing with some really hard stuff, and how will I be in that space?”
She said there was never an experience that was alike, and she could get a call at any time to be part of a process to validate and honour the baby’s life.
“You don’t go in saying ‘okay I am going to pose everybody’ like you would if it was a family session.
“This is being really calm, quiet and gentle.”
She said as a Heartfelt photographer, her role was to capture the special details of each baby, such as hair curls or little torn fingernails.
“We step into this really sombre, hard space and produce something really beautiful that the family can hold on to and attach their memories to.”
Lowry said her goal while gently providing direction was to highlight the love and connection with the baby.
“This is no normal photo session at all ... I’ve looked through the camera, and occasionally I’ve had to take a big deep breath.”
Lowry said she took her camera with her to work and was always on standby for any calls that might come.
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After the sessions, once Lowry has had a chance to work with the photos, families are given a selection of prints, a USB stick and an online password for digital access all packaged in a custom presentation box.
New Zealand representative and vice-president of Heartfelt Emma MacDonald said Lowry, like all the volunteers, “embodies the ‘heart’ of Heartfelt”.
In the last 12 months, Heartfelt has helped 384 families across the country, with 40 families in Hawke’s Bay since the group began, and five in the last 12 months.
“The work of a Heartfelt photographer is unique, demanding, challenging, confronting and profoundly rewarding.”
MacDonald said the online gallery is a permanent back-up, which means galleries could be re-emailed, reprinted and redelivered almost instantly.
“We have re-sent galleries after house fires, natural disasters and after parents separate, but they both want copies of the photos.”
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She said the organisation is always looking for very special photographers who would like to donate their time, skill and heart for the benefit of families needing our services. More information can be found on the Heartfelt website.
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.