The Emotion Behind Custom Portraits
There are moments in our lives that hit us right in the heart, leaving us misty-eyed and emotionally stirred. For me, one such moment came during a newborn photography session that turned into a beautiful tribute to a dearly departed grandfather and the history in their family.
We all know professional photography sessions capture those tiny features of your new baby, right down to their little eyelashes, but they are also about preserving memories. With this session I wanted to capture some pretty special moments made up of past memories. The Dad is a big history buff, particularly of his family history and has so many mementos and old family photos in their home. His own father had passed away many years ago and had amazing stories to tell me about his dad and how they had honored his memory in the broader family. His presence was still deeply felt and they expressed to me that they wanted to still honor him in a special way.
They brought a couple of family mementos to my Mercer Island Newborn Studio, including the receiving blanket the baby’s grandma, aunt and dad all came home from the hospital in. They also brought along a bear made from grandpa's shirt, a tradition passed down to each kid and grandkid. Grandpa was a huge fisherman and would make his own fishing flies and this particular bear had his own little fishing vest with the top of the fishing flie (no hooks or anything sharp of course!) Grandpa also loved to tinker around with woodworking, so we incorporated some of his wooden puzzles and toys that he had made.
As we began the session, I positioned the baby in an adorable bed and had him wrap his arms around the special bear. When I did that, that’s when it happened! The weight of the memory, the significance of this gesture, it hit me like a ton of bricks. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I found myself unable to hold them back. I was mortified, of course! Here I was, supposed to be the professional behind the lens, and yet I was the one crying! Something amazing happened next. Instead of recoiling in embarrassment, my clients joined me in my tears. We shared a moment of raw emotion, a shared understanding of the depth of love and loss. It, of course, was followed by some laughter because I don’t think any of us expected that to happen!
At that moment, I was reminded of why I do what I do. It's not just about capturing pretty pictures; it's about capturing moments that matter. It's about preserving memories, honoring loved ones, and celebrating life in all its messy, beautiful glory. I'm grateful every day for the opportunity to do what I love, to be invited into the lives of families that trust me with these moments. I'm especially grateful for moments like these, when tears turn to laughter and memories are made to last a lifetime in my client’s portraits.
Let’s take old memories and make new ones with a custom newborn session at my Mercer Island Photography Studio - contact me for more info!
Romper: Manly and Pretty Things | Bed : Hello Little Props
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