24/05/2017
7 years ago I shot one of my first weddings. It was for a young couple I knew, and like all weddings, I worked my butt off to get them the best images possible of this important part of their lives. It was hard: it was in the blazing sun in the heat of qld, the bride and groom were super uncomfortable in the heat. I had only a very short amount of time, and the groom hated photos being taken of him. If given the chance, I always wished I had the opportunity to shoot that wedding again. The couple were happy with their images, but inside, I was disappointed.
Today, I saw some of those photos in a slideshow at the funeral of the groom...just 7 years later.
The bride had had a computer malfunction, and lost all the wedding photos. She also had misplaced a disc of the images over the years. I had also deleted the file from my computer after 7 years. After looking in an old hard drive of mine, I thankfully found them. Thank God.
The point I want to make, is that photos are the keys to our memories. They become the most valuable possessions we have, particularly when we lose our loved ones. From photos of a new born baby, to life's big celebrations, to just candid everyday moments...they are SO valuable, and that value is at its greatest when the subject is no longer with us. Don't underestimate how much you will need these to access your treasured memories... time has a way of filing your memories away, and photos are the key to the lock.
Take the photo: when she's laughing, when he's napping, when they are chatting, when all are celebrating. Don't underestimate the importance of getting your life on "film". Save it, print it, back it up, back it up again. Look at them.
You can't replay your big moments. You can't do it again if you get it wrong. Take the time, invest, make it a priority.
You won't ever regret having too many beautiful images of your loved ones. X
