capturedwithhart-blog

[capturedwithhart-blog]

Faded Images

I am different. My “style” of photography isn’t different. My equipment isn’t different. My editing isn’t necessarily different. What is different are my standards and beliefs. I believe the value in ourselves, our family, and our stories have diminished and that thought tugs on my heart strings. 

I will say that I honestly can not remember that first moment I looked into my oldest daughters eyes after she was born. I wish I could, but I can’t remember. I wish I valued my family and myself enough to hire a birth photographer then. This isn’t a plug to get you to hire a photographer for everything. This is merely a revelation I’ve had. There are a lot of things that I can not remember about my children from when they were little. I really wish I had more images; professional or non. 

As a nurse I’ve seen all too often the toll that illness and old age takes on a mind. Alzheimer’s, dementia, and strokes ... they seem to me as some evil captor of parts of ourselves. It’s heartbreaking to watch. I relish in the moments that family members bring in old faded photos. For even mere minutes the ailed seem healed; or at least they remember ... if only for a short time. The light that has been brought back into seemingly dark eyes make up for all the dark moments. 

Tangible photographs, faded images, albums ... these “items” are worth so much more than we realize. I’ve never gone into a patients room to see their Facebook images posted on the room wall. There will be however, tangible photographs of loved ones taped up on the wall. That’s how I feel it should be. Our story, our family, ourselves; beautifully plastered all over our walls. 

That is why I am different. I will NOT sell a digital image alone (I do gift social media sized files, perfect to share online, to every tangible image that is purchased). I have so many CDs from a big named portrait studio somewhere in my house. Maybe they’re in a box in storage. The problem isn’t that I don’t know where they are, the problem is that they’re not on my walls! (and my new laptop doesn’t even have a CD slot). What is everyone going to do with the USBs of their sweet babies’ images when technology evolves to the next best thing and USBs are obsolete? Remember floppy disks? 3.5″ disks? VHS? You get the point. 

I am different in that I want to capture your story and create beautiful art that will withstand the changes in technology and can be passed down for generations. From the very first time we meet at the consult, my focus is on you and how I can help you to create beautiful art for your home, office, relatives, etc. At our third meeting (second being the actual photo shoot) I help you narrow down and select your art we created. Then I will assist you with what images best go in which rooms and on which medium (metal, canvas, framed art, or album). At our final meeting I will even install your gorgeous art in your home. 

From start to finish my goal is to capture your story, your families story, and preserve them as beautiful art to be displayed. I promise you, these tangible memories will NOT fade. 

[capturedwithhart-blog]

Uncomfortable beginnings ...

I've never written a blog before ... never saw much purpose to them. I always felt that the writer was writing about what was important to them in hopes of validation or finding kindred spirits that can relate to, and appreciate, their blog posts. I'm thinking now those assumptions are right since that is (sort of) my reason for starting this blog. So, this for me, is an uncomfortable beginning. I'm no writer. I don't speak eloquently. I HATED English class in high school and college. Writing is not "my thing". I find it very uncomfortable to try and explain who I am. I'm a wife and a mother to four. I thrive in chaos. I'm an RN. I'm messy. I'm raw. I'm creative ... a borderline hoarder of props and thrift store finds. I'm a photographer. I've always loved art. Loved creating things. Loved seeing how different minds view and interpret beauty. I love learning how things are made. I'm hysterical (though others would probably disagree). That's me. A part of me anyways. An uncomfortable intro. Earlier I gave my "sort of" reason for starting this blog. My main reason for starting this blog is photography. I ❤ photography. I love being able to capture a fleeting moment that can never be replicated or captured again. I love preserving moments that could last for generations. As a nurse I've seen all too well the damage of aging and illness and what that can do to a person's mind. As a mother, I often can't remember moments I wish I could. I can honestly say I don't remember the first time I looked into my daughters eyes (she is now 11). I wish I could remember. I wish I would have hired a photographer to capture that moment for me ... but I didn't. No matter what stage of life, what event, or no event, I believe moments need to be captured and preserved. I miss seeing memories on walls inside homes. I'm striving to bring back the importance of preserving and displaying our lives. In my photography business I will ensure that who ever my client may be, that they have tangible memories, their art, their story, to cherish for generations. Until the next uncomfortable post, I hope you have a blessed day!