KEEPING MEMORIES
I often think of the role photographs, and videos play in creating memories. If you know me personally, you know that my husband edits together my iPhone videos into short birthday movies for the kids every year. My daughter often recalls events from her 2nd year of life, and I'm sure that it's because she's watched them several times. Memories that we didn't capture and replay seem to be locked away in a vault somewhere in our minds. Hopefully not gone forever.
There's all this narrative about being present in the moment and not constantly being attached to your phone. I agree wholeheartedly. There have been many times in my life where I photographed an event and ultimately felt like I was never even there. I was so focused on framing the perfect shot that I didn't look around me with my own eyes. I didn't allow myself to enjoy random conversation and truly live in the moment. So how do we do both? How do we live in the moment and also capture it all? Always consider hiring someone for an event like this, but if that isn't possible, then ask your friends for help. A guest will always ask if there's anything they can do to help, and you can always say, "yes, take photos." Chances are, everyone will want to take photos anyway, delegate the task to someone you trust so that you can focus on everything else.
It doesn't need to be a perfect photo; make sure someone is documenting your life. Whenever I deliver photos to my clients, I wonder what journey they will take. How often will the images be used to reflect on their life?
I hope this little girl looks back at these photos one day and is filled with joy when she sees herself in her Dolbok and her little dog dressed in his matching Hanbok. I hope she can recall the feel of her mother's dress and the warmth of her father's hug. Most importantly, I hope she cherishes the photos of her doting grandmothers. I had lost both of my grandmothers by the time I was 13 years old, so I have a real fondness for images that capture the love between generations.