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Caught on film: The stunning photographs of babies' first moments in the world

Intimate shots of babies at their moment of birth make a stunning project for Danish photographer Suste Bonnen

A stunning collection of photographs has given us a rare insight into the moment a baby takes its first breath in this world.

Danish photographer Suste Bonnen has created an incredible series of shots, taken during caesarean section operations at the Copenhagen University Hospital.



Sometimes hard to look at, the warts and all photographs were taken with the permission of the parents and were snapped before the mothers even clapped eyes on their little ones for the first time.
 
Suste, 65, has worked as a portrait photographer for 30 years.  Her compelling pictures show babies the instant they are born even before they are given over to the safety of their mother's arms.

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Suste said: "A life-long theme for my portrait photography has always been the affection and love displayed between a mother and daughter, a father and a son, a brother and a sister.
 
"I have portrayed heads of states, politicians, celebrities and CEOs, but family is what have always interested me the most."


 
"What suddenly intrigued me, however, was if that feeling of love for life was detectable at first eyesight. What are we emotionally like at the earliest stage in life? What are we like at the very first second?
 
"When the idea arose, I was therefore lucky to get exclusive and unprecedented access to the maternity ward, where I followed more than 22 caesarean operations."


In the working world of the hospital Suste still managed to get great pictures despite having just the surgery lights to shine on her subjects - no flash was allowed.
 
She said: Just as the Dutch renaissance painters, my ability to use light setting as a key element in photography has brought me much acclaim.
 
"This goodwill followed me all the way into the maternity ward, where there was only one source of lighting to use, the surgery lamp. There were no flashes, no additional lamps, so I had to learn to use what was there.
 
"I admit that the images are deeply controversial, as they on one side are very bloody and gory, but on the other a rare and truthful testimony to the magical wonder of life.
 
"These are all caesarean operations, so they can't help but being bloody."