[Part 1] PHotos to take now before you regret not taking them later: As Told By An Orphan Photographer
Hey beautiful creative muses!
This is not about photos for social media. This not about securing the best shots or angles for engagement or followers.
Certainly, not about taking photos that are gallery-worthy either.
This is really about Grief. The preservation of memories. The documentation of a life well-lived and well-loved.
See, I’m a photographer with over 100M+ views.
My photos have been downloaded over 250k+ times.
My photos have been featured on over 36k+ websites across the globe.
These are the types of numbers many creative folks in various industries currently trying to stand out would KILL for.
But I’ll never be able to take a photo of my mom’s hands.
That’s why I’m writing this post today.
I realized I have photos of my husband’s hands, my dog’s paws even - but none of my mom’s.
Equally devasting when you couple it with the fact that she was a Gemini and Gemini rules the hands. A lost potential.
My mom died from leukemia when I was a teenager in high school back in 2005. This was before everyone was walking around with cameras in their pockets.
When old folks say they do not envy the kids of today growing up with smartphones, I can’t relate.
I indeed DO envy the kids of today because they can actually document their life in a way that other generations had to be filthy rich or extremely lucky to afford.
So if there is one thing as a photographer I could do to impact someone’s life right now - it would be to tell them exactly what kind of photos to take before they regret not having taken them earlier.
Let’s dive in!
✨ The hands of your loved ones…
This one might seem kind of weird — unless you’ve ever lost someone. This is one of those seemingly random things Grief likes to throw at ya.
Our loved ones hold us and yet we never think to capture at least one of the moments - unless we’re at an event like a wedding or baby shower.
But the absence of their touch and embrace will have you wishing you recorded the memory more than just on special occasion.
✨ POV of you petting your dog/cat/pet…
My husband’s first experience with loss was when his family pet of over thirteen years passed away. Something he regrets not considering was taking photos and videos of himself petting his dog.
Seems so…simple, right?
We take so many photos of our pets curled up, doing silly things, etc.
Yet how often do we capture the memory of what it’s like to pet, well, our pets.
✨ Genuine candids of your loved ones…
One thing I loathe about the popularity of social media is the rise in “curated” photos. Nothing is actually candid, not even in the photo dumps.
But I can tell you right now as someone who lost her mom as a teenager, I would kill to have a candid of my mom laughing or in the middle of telling one of her hilarious stories.
And if you’re someone who is soooo camera shy - understand this: memories do not last forever in the mind. The touch, the taste, the sounds, of ghosts passed often get wiped away by things like trauma or, worse, sickness.
Relaying on your loved ones to simply “memorize” you and your mannerisms and your physicality is flawed, at best, and selfish at worst.
You loved ones deserve to remember you as you are, not as you think they should remember you.
✨ Your loved ones sleeping peacefully…
I think a lot of parents tend to take these of their children while they are still young. Grandparents snapping granbabies napping.
But what about when we’re older and the years are more evident upon our faces?
I am often reminded of that scene from “Howl’s Moving Castle,” where Howl sees Sophie (who was turned into an elderly woman by a witch) sleeping peacefully and for a moment, she has the face her young self. That reveal is always such a sweet tender moment, no matter how many times I watch the film.
The same can be said for capturing your loved ones when they are at rest and at peace by your side. You’ll be grateful you did.
Even if you don’t take the exact types of photos mentioned above, heed this: We don’t know how long we have with the people with love.
Don’t take the moments you share with them for granted.
Document them and above all, cherish them while ya still got ‘em!
That’s it for part one of this series. If you enjoyed this or have dealt with Grief and want to add some suggestions, feel free to comment below or send me an email. I’d love to hear from you.