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Many of you know I still work with kids. About 5 years ago I did a special Mother's Day Calendar for the parents in my child care facility. Something simple but also something I knew would make a simple calendar look stunning. My goal was to help the parents see their kids for who they really are. How their love and support has been the major influence in the development of thier child. Parents most times live their life 1 day at a time and miss out on the real growth of their child at times not any fault of theirs, because life can get busy can't it ?
One of the families that came to participate was a mother/daughter, Angela and Heather.
At that time Heather was about Grade 4 in our facility. Always had a great time with these two. Like most of the kids, I had the joy of watching them grow up before my eyes. Then about a year later Heather was old enough to move on and take care of herself. From time to time I would still bump in to Heather and see her mother Angela and chat about how they are doing.
S0 you can imagine the surprise when I was told just a short few weeks ago, that Angela had suddenly passed away.
Apparently Angela and Heather were summering up in the interior of B.C. and one afternoon Angela, while in the passenger side of the car, driving with her friend (Thankfully Heather was not in the car at that moment.) when an on coming car from the other lane swerved into their car and stuck them head on. Angela passed away immediately.
I have to confess that I sure have a soft heart for kids and when I heard this, how my heart just ached and my thoughts drifted to Heather. The sudden reality came now with Heather needing to live the rest of her grown up life without her mom .... really really hit me hard.
This sudden event in time really brought all things in a bit of perspective for me. Sometimes I think we really have hard issues in life and then something like this comes along and you realize that it really isn't all that bad.
LESSONS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Lesson #1
- One of the many lessons I learned from this tragedy is just how privileged we are to capture moments in time for our clients. Moments that become both timeless and true treasures that no monetary value can ever be placed on it. Just think about it. If your house was going to burn down, what would you grab ? Or what do you treasure the most when a loved one near you passes away ?
I implore all who are photographers, take your career and passion as a professional photographer seriously with the sole desire to do the very best for your clients right at that moment. Live to tell their story.
Lesson #2
- If you have not done a family session for your very own family in a long time, then get your ass going a get your family out n the fresh air and hire a fellow photographer to photograph your family. You will not regret it. I promise you.
Thanks for reading along with me. I know this was a long one but one worth writing.
You all truly inspire me with your friendship, love and passion to capture true memories.
With Love,
Rockie
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5 comments:
Rough time but good lessons. So right about the family portraits.
it is so true that photographs become so valuable especially when they pass away, or even for instance if they loose their hair due to cancer treatment
Rockie, thanks for sharing. In 2006, my family took a cruise together. My mom, dad, my sister, her four children, my daughter and me. We went on a 12-day Medditeranean cruise.
In 2002, my dad had been hospitalized 5 or 6 times in 6 months and diagnosed with congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation. His health had improved.
We had a glorious family cruise together in July. At Christmas, my parents went to a family wedding in Florida (from Toronto) and then spent three weeks helping my sister and her children getting settled in their new house.
On January 11, 2007, about 21 hours after he complained that he didn't feel well, my dad passed away.
God's timing.
God gave my mom and dad especially (and the rest of the family and friends too) another 5 years.
As you said, Rockie, photos capture precious moments and memories.
Rockie, I love this post so much! Thank you for spelling out life's lessons!
I remember how much a photo moved me at a sildeshow from a funeral. The sad music but what struck my heart was the image of the woman who passed dancing with her husband at her son's wedding.
You just never know when you're going to have your last dance, ya know.
I always take my work seriously...but more so after that moment.
Thanks for sharing.
We knew Angela and Heather because Heather was in elementary school with our son. On the first day of grade 1, Heather sat down next to him and flashed a smile bright enough to light up the whole school and offered to share her Oreo cookies with him. They were in Cubs together up until grade 4, when she and her mum moved to a different catchment area. We would still see her at floor hockey from time to time, however.
She and her mother were two peas in a pod, really, and you could see that there was a very strong bond between them. Your photographs have captured this relationship so beautifully. For those of us experiencing pain, these photos are a reminder of what is most beautiful in life. Thank-you for sharing them.
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