From a very early age, I can remember my mother dragging my siblings and me to portrait studios to commemorate holidays or other special events. I hated it. At one point, even, protesting my contempt by cutting my bangs the night before a scheduled photo session. While not enthusiastic participants in those contrived photo sessions, my brothers, sister and I were usually our natural selves in front of the ever-present camera. It is our honest expressions from those images that I look back on - from both the near and distant past - and, while reminiscing, experience those authentic moments; those cherished memories all over again.
My artistic objective when shooting not only my own family but also my dear client's families is to remain attuned to their honest moments. Anticipating instances of irony, grief, sheer delight, utter giddiness, even dread at getting photos taken — not just familiarizing myself with my subjects, but becoming a chameleon of sorts; blanketing myself in the nuanced, multiple layers of emotions that come with these lives intertwining. Always capturing and processing frames with deep nostalgia in my heart.
“To take photographs means... putting one’s head, one’s eye, and one’s heart on the same axis.”
Twenty years from now, I want to have the opportunity to share with my full-grown daughters (omg I just can't type much more because this is going to make my cry all over the keyboard) a visual anthology of this wondrous, momentary glimpse into our past. My purpose is to capture the present for our future selves. And I am honored to do so.
