With 2019 behind us
and most photographers sharing their favorite images of the year in blog posts, I got to thinking about what I would do for my wrap up for the year. 2019 was the year that my business came to life again after lying by the way-side due to long hours at the day job. It also saw a first for me. Now, I often shoot as if I'm a fly on the wall, trying to anticipate and capture moments that might seem small, but are as powerful as earthquakes when caught on camera. But towards the end of 2019, I was asked to document a family who's baby daughter was stillborn. I spent four hours with them in their room at the Atlanta Medical Center, quietly grieving with the parents of Haven as they grieved, laughing as they laughed, stood quiet in the blanket of heavy silence, all while capturing some of the photographs I'm most proud of. I wanted to share some, with consent of the family as a way to honor Haven's impact on them, the friends and family that came to say their hellos and goodbyes, the nurses that see this every day and also myself. I've been forever impacted.
This is a reminder that in influencer age, it is more important than ever to make sure you capture moments whether its at a wedding, a portrait session or a sad farewell. Living authentic isn't a carefully curated grid, carefully curated life. But its living in the moments in between, capturing what otherwise might fall through the internet cracks. These moments matter. Stories matter.
The following are some of the many images I made that day. Its a shoot I never want to do again, but would do again if needed.
