Sometimes I wonder what it is about shooting family portraits that seems to connect with me so dearly. I think yesterday afternoon I realized why I love them so much...particularly father/child shots and even weddings. Most of you who have known me long enough know that I grew up without my father in my life. I had a lot of wonderful father figures...and even though he wasnt around as much, my father was a part of my life. But when you dont have them there every day theres a huge gap in your heart that really isnt ever fully filled. Its hard to explain if youve not had to grow up with that experience. Oh, I had a wonderful childhood...dont get me wrong. My mother raised me so well and she always encouraged me to spend as much time with my father whenever he was able to. And it was wonderful to do things with him as I was growing up. I never felt neglected or pushed away even if we didnt get a chance to as much together as I would have liked. My mother never allowed me to have a negative perspective on their divorce either. She always tried to let me know I was loved by both of them and that Gods love of course was the most important. For whatever reason, I would just have to grow up without a full family. I often wonder how much different my perspective on things would have been had my parents stayed together. There are some things I still deal with today that have a direct connection to that event in my early childhood. Anyway...all that to say that its so encouraging to me whenever I get a chance to do these family sessions to see the fathers so involved in their childrens lives. Its even MORE special when the family Im photographing happen to be old friends of mine from college. Its an emotional moment for me because I guess in a way Im capturing memories for them that I sort of wish I had when I was a child. Something as simple as a family photo with my parents is something I really dont have at all as a kid. My mother remarried many years later to a wonderful man and oddly enough as Ive grown older my appreciation and love for my step-father has also grown. So I had a small taste of it...but there will always be that little boy in me photographing families...wishing those memories were engrained in my own past. However...I am so blessed to be able to capture them for my friends and family! It makes me happy to show them what I see through my lens and in a funny way, I feel connected to their families. Anyway...something to think about :) Artists are a bunch of emotional people lol I am certainly no exception. I love what I do...Gods amazing ability to provide a steady stream of wonderful opportunities never ceases to amaze me. Be blessed on this wonderful Monday morning my Facebook friends!
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 09:30:18 +0000
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