Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Why Pictures are Important

Pictures are not just pictures.  Sure they are colored pixels arranged on a piece of paper that form an image. But a picture is worth so much more than that.  A picture stops time for a moment.  It freezes the emotions of that moment into something physical that you can carry around with you. It's way more than just a piece of paper.  Think back through your life, all of the photographs you seen.  The pictures of you as a baby running around with a diaper on your head, to the pictures of you and your first love, then years later when you are married you find that same picture and the picture of your first love is faded, and sometimes the face is crossed out (yeah, I was kind of angry with my first love!).  And then the pictures from your wedding day, your first born, family reunions, picnics, your kids going to prom and so on.  Am I getting to sappy for you?  If not, prepare to bawl your eyes out after reading this.

A few weeks ago I came across a post from another photographer posting about a note that she had received. Basically she had booked a session with a family who she had photographed numerous times before.  Right before the session, the client cancelled. And with that money, the client went and got her hair and nails done, purchased a new outfit, and took her family out to dinner.  She wrote to the photographer to tell her that she wish she never cancelled the session.  Why?  Because the client had rapidly progressing cancer. And for a bit of time after the cancelled session the clients hair had fallen out due to treatments, the clothes didnt matter, and the food from the dinner was gone.  But if she had gone through with the session, invested into it, she would have had pictures of her and her family before she became sick. Back when she was healthy and happy. She would have pictures of her family in those happy moments, and they will always be able to look back on them and remember it.

It was truly a heartbreaking story.  Now I come from a family that takes A LOT of pictures. At every family event, at least 3 people have cameras.  Especially on my fathers side, we are some picture taking people!  But the one thing that we didn't really have, was a lot of framed pictures. Which brings me on to my next subject...

THE IMPORTANCE OF WALL ART!

I honestly have no idea why I capitalized that, but it gets my point across. So any who, wall art. Yes, it is important.  Professional (and even non professional) pictures, need to be on your wall. By way of framing, gallery wrapping, or whatever.  For about 6 years, I've had pictures of random things I photographed on my walls. But up until a few days ago, I didn't even have pictures of my husband and I, or our daughter on the walls. I finally got around to putting an arrangement of 5 pictures of my daughter above our couch, and slowly but surely will be adding more images of us throughout or home. I mean, it's not just enough to have your pictures taken, they need to be displayed! Sure it definitely is easy to post the pictures on Facebook, and share with your family and friends by email, but again, you need something physical. A huge 16"x20" picture of your family above your couch or fireplace is always a good thing.  A wall arrangement of your little one in their nursery will make your heart swoon every time you see the pictures.  I'm not just saying this because I am photographer. I'm saying this coming from being a mother, who was told previously that I wouldn't be able to have children. So at this point, I am cherishing, photographing, and framing and displaying everything.

And that is pretty much my "YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS" speech of the day!

 
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