Every Picture Tells a Story

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY

For me a photograph captures a moment in time. I take a photograph of something I want to remember. 

Only those in the know can see behind the lens. Only those in the photograph really know the story, but for me every photograph that I take tells a little bit of my story.

My photographs document my life. They remind me of the places I have been and the people I have met. I don’t often think about capturing a particular moment but when I look I back I am pleased I had my camera. Sometimes I ask myself "what ever possessed you to take that shot?" 

This photograph was taken on the 18^th December 2010.
It was my sisters 52^nd birthday.
Mum was in an nearby room.
She should have been on the photo. It’s the first family photo without her. There’s even a space where she would have stood and smiled with us, somewhere between Pam and my dad.

Mum died 24hrs later. We all knew she was dying, but we were all smiling on the photo. Why is that? 

Its because that’s what you do when someone points a camera at you. 

You hide your feelings and smile even if you are hurting. I still look at this photo and cry. I’m still glad it was taken. Its part of my life and part of my journey.

It took me a long time to look at the photograph below. I almost deleted it and I often wonder how and why I took it. 4 years later I am pleased I kept it. 

Mum was dying, but we were all there, we were all trying to smile but if you look closely you can see the hurt. We were singing Happy Birthday and mum wanted to be a part of it. I remember taking the shot and thinking "is this appropriate?" But I always took photos on family birthdays, thats what I do. It never occurred to me that this birthday should be any different. Of course it was so different.

 For Pam it was the last birthday she would spend with her mum and she knew it. I knew how hard mum had fought to be around for this birthday. It was her goal if you like. Pam kept saying its the worst birthday ever but she still smiled for the camera!!! Now I am different to Pam because I thought it was great that she could spend her birthday with mum and I just wanted to capture the memories. I know that Pam will struggle with this shot and I understand why. I just hope she understands what I see in the shot and why I took it.

Yes, it’s upsetting to see how ill mum was but as time has passed I now see the love in this photograph. I know there are those who may only see a dying lady but when I look at this shot I see a family loving a very special lady. I see her son in laws holding her hand, her grandchildren smiling, her daughters singing. Mum was actually trying to sing and she was smiling and she was pleased we were there.

So you see every picture does tell a story and I think that this one is quite powerful but I apologise if it hurts anyone. That is not my intention.

 12 months ago I found myself in a similar situation. My grandson was born still and asleep but there I was with my camera! I wasn't sure whether to take my camera into the delivery room or not, but the midwives said it was OK and so did Lauren and Nick. I remember Lauren commenting "Bet you've brought your camera?"Once again I just found myself taking photographs. I can understand anyone asking the question "Who would take a photograph of a baby that isn't breathing?"Yet it seemed the natural thing to do and I am so glad that I captured these shots.

Who would know from these photographs that the baby in the cot wasn’t breathing? That the little bundle cradled in his parents arms is asleep and will not wake up. The joy on Lauren’s face is real. The smile on Nick’s face is real. Harry was born and he brought joy. That’s what I see when I look at these photographs

Without my camera people would never believe the happiness that was in that delivery room if only for a short time. Only a handful of people met Harry and these photographs show how beautiful he was and how much joy he brought to those who met him.

Harry would have been one year old on the 15th May 2014. These photographs make me smile and for those of you that know me and my family you will know that they helped raise the awareness of still birth

                                                                                                For me, taking photographs  is so important

So I will continue to capture the moments of my life through a lens. 

I hope that when you look at a photograph in the future you will try to look behind the smile because……..

                          "Every picture I take does tell my story."