“I had a good dream-
We built a home.
It was far from perfect,
But we made it our own.
We lived a good life,
We gave and we borrowed.
It was far from perfect,
But we made it our own.
When everything around us changed, we felt okay.
No learning curve could ever bend us too far out of shape.
When we took one step forward, and five steps behind,
We were still more than able to walk a straight line.
We had a white picket fence in the front yard,
Where our grass was plenty green.
Every window in our house
Welcomed in the sun’s company.
We had hardwood floors and unlocked doors,
Our glass was plenty full.
Though our bills were only barely met,
Our hearts were plenty whole.
When everything around us changed, we felt okay.
No learning curve could ever bend us too far out of shape.
When darkness was the price of light, we weren’t afraid.
For the time we’ve spent was more than worth
Any interest that we’ve paid.
We lived a good life, a good life,
When my eyes were closed.
Though the question marks were all the same
And the burdens never left,
We gambled everything we loved,
As though there was some kind of safety net.”
– “Learning Curve,” Sleeping at Last
Often times, as I take the first look through a set of images from a session, besides observing the technical side of things – lighting, exposure, colors, posing, etc., my mind wanders a bit and I start to imagine the importance of these images.
Right away, yes – I’m always so eager and excited to deliver images to my clients, and share in their excitement for them as well. However, what I think about even more, is how much these photos will mean five years from now. Ten years from now. Fifty years from now.
These photos of first-time parents, welcoming their fresh, new, first born baby into their home. His little peach fuzz hair that will likely change just a short few months from now. His expressive eyebrows, curly fingers, and tiny hands cradling his face. Fleeting things. Soon, those soft, baby feet will begin to grow and toughen up, as he starts walking on his own. At some point, maybe this house won’t be “home” anymore – at the very least, styles and trends will change, and the interior is sure to change a bit along the way. Maybe siblings will come along, and the idea of a family of three will be a distant memory. Life changes us. Time moves quickly. Capturing photos like these – the kind that tell the story of Baby A’s first week of life, and Kelsey and Patrick’s beginning of parenthood – is precious to me. It’s a moment in time that has passed, yes, but is frozen forever in photographs.
I love thinking that if Baby A ever asks his parents, “What did I look like when I was born? What did my house look like then?” they can pull out these photos and show him. All the while, reminiscing on his baby wrinkles, the way he was tiny enough to fit perfectly in his dad’s hands, and the learning curve of becoming a family of three. Someday, even, Baby A can share these photos with his own kids, and they can see how beautiful their grandparents have always been – carrying on a legacy of love through their family.
I’m always so honored and thankful to play a small part in my clients’ stories, and creating photos that they’ll have as a keepsake to pass down for years and years.
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