Why do I do what I do? (Follow up to why do I charge what I do)

Every photographer has a personal reason for starting in this profession. I would bet that most photographers are sentimental people that feel the need to capture time as it seems to be slipping away from us.

I grew up in a photographic family and have tons of photos from my childhood. I can remember sitting at my Grandparent's house and going over and over all their photo albums from their trips around the world. I got to experience just a little of what they had seen and loved every minute of it.

My dad, stepmom, and I just went through hundreds of old family slides looking for images of my sister so I can start on a memory book of her. For those of you that don't know, we lost my sister to breast cancer in January 2005 after a long 7 year battle against the disease. I am so very thankful that most of my childhood with her is documented in photos. I certainly remember a lot of things, but the photos can trigger so many other memories long forgotten.

As soon as my sister was diagnosed she decided that instead of being behind the camera all the time that she needed to start getting in front of it. My sister Stephanie did the two year photography program at Langara College in Vancouver and was a great photographer. With the possiblity of not seeing her children grow up she knew the only thing she could leave behind would be photos of herself with her children.

I attended a photography conference in Richmond in the early spring and photographer Dane Sanders spoke about his "why" of photography - it's a tiny picture of him at age three with his dad, the only photo of him and his dad together as his dad was killed soon after in his job as a police officer. It was a powerful story about the fleeting nature of our lives.

I was pointed towards this website by a fellow photographer and think it's just amazing.


http://www.debsphotographs.com/photoblog/?p=957

Why aren't you having your photos taken? And are those things really more important than providing a lasting memory for your family? If money is an issue then please talk to me, we can work something out. But I think every family needs wonderful photos!

This is me and my sister in 1977:

and this is us at my wedding in 2002:

Somehow I went from being the little sister to being the "big" sister!

Stephie, I miss you more and more every day, wish you could see my girls growing up, wish you could see your beautiful children turning into phenomenal young people, and be there when I have that all familiar urge to call you.