Photographing this family was truly an honor for me.  We have been friends ever since our first BBQ together in 2004.  In fact, we have come to consider them more as family!  This photo was taken in the front room of the family home, and let me tell you, I couldn't have asked for a better "set".  We got permission to move their 200 year old love seat closer to the light for the family to sit on.  I have just a touch of couch envy now.  

I seriously just love how their session came out.  What a great looking group!  The best part for me, was delivering their prints.  Makes it all worthwhile to see how much capturing this memory meant to them.

I don't like having my picture taken.  There, I said it.  I think it's something a lot of people feel, especially women.  So often, we avoid getting pictures taken at all costs.  If a family member busts out a camera, we glare and make threats, or just hide... and you can forget about booking a professional portrait!  Pictures are important, though; while we tend to see a photo of ourselves and notice all our faults, our loved ones see someone they adore.  Quite simply, they see us through the eyes of love.

A couple of years ago my mom was visiting.  She looked through one of my family scrap-books, then looked at a photo I had on the wall. 
"I see you have lots of pictures of your father... what about me?"
I looked right at her and said, "Every time I get my camera out, you hide, and if I do manage to get a picture of you it's because I was sneaky, and you always get angry and tell me to delete it.  I have no good photos of you because you won't let me take any!"

She was shocked.  You see, every time she saw the camera she'd get angry, hide, or threaten... but it never occurred to her that because of that, I didn't have any good photos of her to put in my book or hang on my wall.  She had essentially eliminated evidence of
herself in our lives!

We aren't promised a tomorrow, and photos are not just for us, they are for future generations.  Do you ever look at pictures of people you love, and think to yourself, "Gee, I wish I didn't have so many pictures of them!"  I bet not.  In fact, especially when they are gone, you probably look at the pictures you do have of them, and wish there were more.

I don't just take pretty pictures to decorate a wall... I document a piece of a family's history
to capture a memory.  Each image conveys a feeling, an emotion.  Maybe you see that familiar smile, and suddenly smell fresh bread in the oven, or recognize your grandmother in the eyes of your child.  Life is so fleeting... don't get so caught up in the rush of activity that you wake up one morning and it's too late.  Document the important events, and remember to preserve some of the everyday, too.  Grandparents, make sure you take the time to have family
pictures taken.  And whatever you do, print them!  Don't leave them on a disk to degrade, or be eaten by the family dog, and don't let them collect dust in a box.  Put them in a book, hang them on the wall... enjoy them!  Your children and your grandchildren will cherish them! 

A year ago today our family lost someone precious to us.  I combed through my family albums and found photos of her with each of my kids, and a couple of me with her... but not a single one of all of us together.  Not one.  I can't go back to take one now, and believe me,
I sure wish I could.  I have made it my mission to make sure that my children have pictures taken with each of their grandparents while they still can.  What are you waiting for?

The honest truth is you will never be younger, you will never have the time, you will never feel like it... take Nike's advice.  Just do it. 

We miss you, Mimi!