For those of you who know me, you probably have heard this
story. I’ve never shared it on such a public platform, though. I will say this
is not easy to do but I think it’s important that my clients and fans
understand WHY it is I do photography and WHY I see the value of pictures.
I often get called “just a photographer” and if I had a
dollar for every time I hear “Those are really nice pictures. What kind of
camera do you have?” I could probably shoot for free. I use to be one of these people, too. I
didn’t understand the value of a picture, or even what it took to take a great
image. I’d even say I didn’t understand it my first year of business. **GASP**
Yes, I said it. I was a photographer and I didn’t understand the value of
pictures.
All of that changed on October 29, 2011. Before I can tell
you the end I have to back pedal a bit and tell you that a week before, on October
22, 2011, this country lost a HERO. A true hero; an American hero. If you are
unfamiliar with this story you can find it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/tk_n_1035286.html
My dear friend had lost her husband in the very real war
that men are still fighting in to this day. To say this was a low point in my
life doesn’t do it justice. I watched the mourning that took place, and dealt
with death for the first time. Of course I’ve had family members pass, but for
me they had all lived a long and fulfilling life. This was the first time that
“gone to soon” was something I had to say. It was the first time I had to explain death
to my children because their friends’ daddy was never coming home.
After Kris’ death, I decided I was done; no more photography
for me. I was still highly emotional from the news and I was pregnant. Why that
was in my thoughts, I’m not sure. I was
dealing with a lot and I was angry. Angry at the world, and in a place of
mourning myself. The night I decided to
quit I said a little prayer…I asked God to show me what it is that I am meant
to do. I asked him to show me how I can help my friend and others. It was a “show
me the way” prayer.
The next morning I awoke to a voice-mail from the photo
editor at PEOPLE magazine. They wanted to use my picture in a story about Kris.
I didn't even believe it was real at first. Why my picture? I thought “My
images aren't good enough to be in a magazine.” I told you Sarah was my dear friend but I
didn’t tell you how we became friends. I had the honor of taking their family
pictures. With a new baby, it was their only complete family picture. PEOPLE wanted this picture, and in that very
moment I realized a picture’s worth. I’m not talking money here; I’m talking
emotional, memorial value.
I took their only professional family picture! Then, I began
to think that I didn’t have a professional family picture of my own family. The
reality that life can be taken from us at any moment and all we have left are
memories and pictures hit, and it hit HARD! I made a promise to myself that I
would not only have family pictures taken of my own family but that I would try
to share the value of pictures with others. I became driven to not only
progress in my knowledge of photography, but to also share it with as many
people as possible! I decided to really dig
into photography and try to learn as much as possible so that I could produce
amazing images for all of my clients so that, when they look back for whatever
reason, they can see and feel what that moment was like; they will have a
memory captured forever.
I don’t take pictures because it’s fun, or for money. I take
them because they are memories, and because I know that even if, in the moment,
they don’t mean much, one day they will mean the world to you!
6 months later I had our first professional family images
taken by the lovely Sarah Fuccillo (http://sarahfuccillophotography.blogspot.com/)
of Sumner, WA. I highly recommend her.
 |
| in-case you are wondering... it was like pulling teeth to get my husband to take pictures in his uniform. He thanked me a year later. |
You can also view Kris' body coming back to his family, as well as view his beautiful family on Sarah's blog here::http://sarahfuccillophotography.blogspot.com/2012/01/domeij-family.html you might recognize my handsome husband helping to carry his casket, it was his greatest honor.
