THE BEGINNINGS
When I was little, my parents would give me those little disposable cameras that you would press the button and crank the wheel for the next exposure. I know, this sounds crazy that we used to have to document our lives without the luxury of cell phones and endless camera rolls. I mean, now we take 27 photos in less than a few minutes without blinking an eye... Well, me being me, I would blow through a new disposable camera within the first few days, and it would be a miracle if one even made it through the week. Mind you, at this point I am about 5 to 6 years of age.
Finally when they would get developed, my mom and I would go through them one by one while sitting at our coffee table in our apartment. And each time she would say... "Harper. You need to take pictures of people. Not of the ground, or the flowers, or the trees, or that stick." (Because, that was my specialty back then, taking photos of things I found interesting for me, not for other people).
Fast forward 20 years, and I think I finally got what she was saying LOL!
Taking photographs of people now has great meaning to me (unlike my 6 year-old-self). It is my way of helping others document their lives; and photographs are what we take with us after the moment has passed and the memory has been made. It is how we share memories with others that were not in that moment with us. Because photos can hold so much meaning, taking photos not only gives my life meaning, but makes my life meaningful. I love delivering a gallery and hearing "it will be so hard to pick which ones to print!" or a simple "I LOVE THEM!". I love hearing this because it tells me that I gave them something they will be able to cherish for years and years to come, whether the photographs hold big moments (like their wedding), or the in-betweens (like a family or engagement session).
I truly wish I had done a better job taking photos of people, and documenting my younger years surrounded with the people I loved most, especially now that some have passed on. But, here we are, with hundreds of photos of inanimate objects that were probably thrown out because lets be honest, how many photos of sticks and rocks does one family need? ...But seriously, I miss taking photos for me sometimes. And this year I finally invested in a macro lens, so I can return to my roots, taking photos of the trees, and the sticks, and the leaves, and the forget-me-nots, and all the small things that I find absolutely stunning. And guess what my mom said... "Harper, I can't wait to take pictures of the trees, and the flowers, and the rain drops on the leaves." and she said nothing about having to take photos of people.
I hope you enjoyed reading my first blog! I am hopeful to be writing more blogs about so many different topics, whether they be personal, educational, or just photography related. I love sharing my life, and these blogs provide an outlet for that.