Our Everyday

I was recently asked if the experience of photographing my family has taught me something about them that I otherwise couldn't see or get close to. While I've learned a lot about my immediate family through photography I would say that the experience has taught me to slow down and be present. Holding a camera to my eye forces me to be astutely aware of our daily happenings, to seek meaning in everything from the mundane to the incredible. In these moments, distractions fall away. Focus. Breathe. Repeat.

I feel very strongly about the importance of documenting the everyday. While photography cannot stop time, our pictures become our memories. The everyday is everything, and frankly, it’s all we have. 

Today I'm thinking about another sunless and unremarkable day 15 years ago when I met my second child. I nearly mistook my stomach pains for something other than labor. He surprised me by arriving three weeks early. Although he still surprises me with his wit and charm on a daily basis it may have been the last time he arrived early for anything. It's okay. I'll wait for him. He is everything.

Happy 15th Birthday, dear Zac.