My Why… Why I Do What I Do
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know photography wasn’t my initial career path. I spent 13 years as an elementary teacher. Though I loved my time in the classroom, when I began experimenting with our family’s DSLR camera in 2016, I discovered a passion I didn’t know I had for artfully capturing moments in time forever. I treasure every photo I have of my sons at each stage of their growth and development. Those moments cannot be recreated and would be only distant memories if I hadn’t snapped the shutter.
My realization is that memories are far more valuable as photos occurred once before, a few years before my sons were born. This life event shaped who I am as a woman, a mother, a parent, and, ultimately, a photographer. This life event became my WHY for today.
**The following story may be triggering for some. Please read on with care.
In September of 2011, my first husband and I got the BEST news. After almost a year of trying to conceive, we were finally pregnant with our first child. Even more surprising was that we found the news out from a fertility specialist after she analyzed our initial bloodwork since we’d thrown in the towel with being able to conceive without help. Shortly after we got the even BETTER news that we were expecting a girl. Side note on the story…I am an only child and have always dreamed of having a daughter. I was over the moon when my first baby was quite literally a dream come true.
Unfortunately, soon after learning the gender of our baby, the pregnancy took a challenging turn. Despite the support of our medical care team and all of our best efforts, I went into labor on February 15, 2012. Addison Vi arrived in the early morning hours of February 16th at 22 weeks, 6 days gestation. We loved all one pound, one ounce of her earthside for a little over an hour before she passed.
In the next few hours we were heartbroken and angry at the world. How could we lose the gift we’d tried so hard to bring into the world? Why were we experiencing such gut-wrenching pain? When do we get to wake up from this nightmare?
In our darkest hours, we met the woman whom I will be forever grateful for and indebted to for the rest of my life. Meghan was our nurse and the angel who not only convinced me to meet my daughter, but also took the only photos I have of her after she was born. These four photos, blurry and taken on a point and shoot camera in terrible hospital lighting, are my most treasured possessions. They are the only proof I have of a life that was much too short. These photos are everything to me and I can’t imagine the regret I would’ve felt if I didn’t have them today.
I look back at Addison’s photos every year on her birthday (she would’ve turned ten this year) or when I just need to remember the shape of her fingers or the curve of her nose. I look back at them to fill the gaps in my memory. I look back at them to remember a moment captured in time forever.
This small part of my life story inspired EK Photography. It is the WHY behind every session I shoot. I hope that capturing your life moments, whether they be as small as a mini session or as big as a wedding, means everything to you like Addison’s photos mean to me. I can certainly promise you I’ll treat your session like I’m delivering your most treasured possessions in your final gallery because treasured possessions are exactly what photos are meant to be.
