why exist in photographs?

INSPIRATION

11 May

portrait of grandparents on the promenade

I was watching the new yesterday and came across the story of Deborah James, known more affectionately as Bowelbabe, announcing to the world that she is now in hospice care at home after her 5 years batter with cancer. She was speaking about preparing for the ending and talking to her children about what was about to happen and it broken my heart.

Very recently, a childhood friend of mine had her Mum pass away very unexpectedly and suddenly. When she told me all I could do was think about the times growing up when she told me off for drinking full-fat milk and dancing around my friends bedroom pretending to be our favourite band on a morning where we were supposed to meet them and unfortunately it couldn't happen. She was also a tenacious lady who was loved my many.

When people close to me pass away, one of the first thing I do is look for images of them. I thought this was the photographer in me reacting in the way I knew how, but the more people I come across, the more I realise others do it to.

I have been honoured to have been asked by some who have images of their loved ones that was 'cleaning' and restoring so they can display that proudly. I have done that myself. When my Grandma died I searched everywhere for the perfect image for her funeral order of service to make sure she was remembered in print as well as our minds. I treasure that image so much myself.

When people get married, they always find the time and money to hire a photographer, to capture pictures of their special day to help them remember. Why do people not believe that to be the case with portraits? The are priceless, an heirloom, something to look back on and share with others. Your heritage.

I always have imagery around me. I want my little girls to grow up knowing who my Grandma is to me and was to others and have some impact on their lives too. I see bits of her in them, in me and in my Mum. One of my only regrets was not getting a portrait of her, of us together, of the three generations that make up the base of my existence.

I don't have many regrets in life, but one of them is not having an image of my cousin and I on my wedding day before he sadly came to the end of his life.

So, if you glean nothing else from this post, don't put off existing in images.

Lastly, my mentor Sue Bryce once took a lady called Jill to Paris to be photographed. She was suffering from Breast cancer and has since passed away. Whilst they were there, they made a short video, which I will link in the comments below. It's called 'The Light that Shines' and that's what portraiture does for us all. It shines a light on us and our power as individuals. Not necessarily on a special occasion or event, us just existing in our space, which I feel is the most powerful of all.

If you want to exist in portraits in the studio or maybe on location, such as Paris, or just want to reach out. I am always here.

#ateliercreative #photographer #norwich #portrait