Friday’s Favourites {Children’s Photographer}

Last night I found myself going through old photographs searching for specific images, for reasons that aren’t important. I searched old hard drives and I found a few of what I was looking for, but not all. My disappointment was only short lived however as I discovered some old treasures, tucked away in obscure folders, that truly made the hour of searching worth it a million times over. See, I have photographed my children for years, as any parent will do; that’s thousands of photos that get lost in archives, perhaps never printed and not loved as they should. Through the passage of time a particular image that I loved had slipped off my radar of ‘favourite images’. Yes it is printed, and sits proudly on Lily’s book case, but it had been obscured by clutter that befriended her shelves and I had forgotten it was there.

At the time I captured the image, some three odd years ago, I knew in an instant that I loved it – it was far from perfect, yes – but it stirred my emotional core and spoke to me on so many levels and that is what made it powerful. Fast forward, and now, when I look at this image, it stirs me emotionally far more then it did back when it was captured, because the subjects have grown and changed. I have changed. Everything has changed. But in that moment, I saw my two children as they then were – so small and delicate. If it wasn’t for the power of photography I would have forgotten the way Lily’s cheeks were full of puffy goodness and how fair her hair was; or the tiny little rolls of fat that adorned Byron’s slender frame when he sat crunched over. Sure I remember how he loved to read, and I will always remember that, but if it wasn’t for this one moment captured, I would never have remembered the littlest of details, which at the time were so readily apparent but which now have slipped from my memory’s hold. No matter how hard I try to remember the tiny details of my children’s past I can not remember everything, despite my hardest recollections. No one can.

Last night I sighed, and I laughed and I sighed again, to the point where I wanted to cry with sadness that I will never be able to relive these moments. I wish time could stand still if only for that moment, but I know it can not.  For that reason, I am truly grateful and I will always be grateful for the power of photography. This one captured image is worth more to me then any amount of money paid to obtain it – it truly is priceless beyond words.