Why do I care?

Why do I care so much about real memories? Why is wedding photography so important to me?

This is something I was sent a while ago by someone who happened to know my Father. It relates to a person I never knew, he died when I was 2 and by all accounts was a great man, I have very few pictures of him and nothing really that shows his character or personality.

It was a turning point in the way I approached photography, a lightbulb moment that made me really see the value of pictures. They’re incredibly important, priceless actually, certainly to someone like me.

Unfortunately (for me) my Mother also passed away while I was at a relatively young age (15). When you’re a kid you hate the thought of having a picture taken, and photography wasn’t as accessible as it is these days, so memories from my childhood that are slowly losing their clarity and impact in my brain aren’t really available to look at in photographic form.

I have no pictures of my parents wedding, actually tell a lie, there is one - the typical stood together, stiff smiles, awkward stance wedding picture…they look like they would rather be anywhere else rather than posing for that picture. Photographs are important to me because I don't have pictures of the people I would love to have pictures of.  People can tell me all they like about my parents but words without a face to look at are just words. 

Capturing memories, recording history, giving people something individual for them (and their families) to look back on is indescribably important, believe me I know first hand. For me it's not just things to say on a website so I sound personable and caring, this shit is important on a personal level.  It's important because I don't want people to miss out on the things I've missed out on.