It’s probably my most favorite photo I didn’t take. With Cinderella Castle as the backdrop on my wife’s birthday two years ago, we told our son that he was going to be a big brother. (I was sure to take video of his reaction, so thank you Jess for documenting the day in photos!)
This is exactly why I do what I do.
Those moments will never happen again.
Photographs (and video) help preserve these memories for as long as we’re willing to keep them.
This type of storytelling is a little different from my portraiture, but the same principles hold true. That very moment is fleeting. That exact reaction or emotion under those particular circumstances won’t repeat.
We could go back to Magic Kingdom and sit around the Partners statue in front of the castle to be reminded of that moment. We could even take another photo there. But we can’t go back in time without the photos and video.
My son was very excited to learn he was getting a baby sister. He brought up rather quickly a few important questions about the mechanics of the whole thing. He even asked if I had a baby inside me, as well.
But now that baby is a growing toddler. And that little boy is already learning multiplication tables. Time is flying by, and the only way to slow it down or even freeze a single moment is to take photos.
We’ve taken tens of thousands of photos of our kids, and I hope it means a little something to them when they see how well we documented their lives.
Beyond taking tons of photos and video, my advice is to do something with them. Don’t let them live solely as files gathering digital dust on an old phone or computer.
Need some ideas on what to do with your photos? I’ll have more on that in another blog post.