If you talk to me long enough, I will often mention my mentor, the amazing Melbourne wedding and portrait photographer, David Williams. David has taught me so much about the importance and the value of our work. The work we do may not have the life-and-death importance that something like medical research has, but the images we create have value and meaning.
One of most valuable lessons I learned from him was that as parents we are not really taking photos for ourselves, but for our children. Thirty years from now when our children have children of their own, that photo of them as a child will mean all that much more. But even more meaningful is the photo of the child with mom and dad. The photo taken now shows us as young and vibrant, guardians and caretakers – the way we want to remember our parents. I insist that parents be photographed with their children. I do this for the children.
David came to St. Louis almost two years ago and spent some one-on-one mentor time with the talented Pam Bredenkamp of Signature Studios. As part of the visit he photographed Lily and her father Brian. It was a beautiful lesson in the relationship and connections between a father and daughter. As David explains, “This is the image I Love. I Love it because I said to Lily ‘Cuddle Daddy’…and she knew that all of him mattered and she grabbed the nearest piece. I will ALWAYS be moved by the way he instinctively started brushing his hand on her leg with moist eyes.”
Brian, who was a medic in the US Army, was killed last week while serving in Afghanistan. He leaves behind a wife and two small children. You can only imagine how valuable this photo has become to his daughter. He was taken from her too early in life. But she will never doubt that he loved her. This photo proves it.
Our thoughts are with Brian’s family.
Photo by David A. Williams
by zettlphoto
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