Photo Memories

CPE Graduation

A friend gave me photos from CPE graduation. Fun and serious, they document the event well. These photos show an occasion that matters to me and include people I love with both thoughtful expressions and happy smiles. What I love most about them is the memories they evoke.

That's really what photos do, I think. They often mark special occasions -- births, graduations, weddings, and the like. Cameras come out when people gather and we snap away, attempting to capture those moments so we can savor them again later. Images bring stories to mind, and those stories are far more three-dimensional than mere pictures.

This is us!

I pulled out our wedding photos this evening. Looking through that book brought smiles as I remembered the engagement, the marriage preparation, and the wedding planning. The ceremony itself was a solemn celebration; we were both serious and joyful. My mom got together with some of her friends to prepare the reception, which was both comfortable and beautiful. I am glad we have pictures from our wedding.

I was reminded of this mostly because my husband and I had a portrait session today, in honor of our anniversary. About the only photos we'd had taken in the past thirteen or so years have been for things like government-issued ID, so this was a special event. It is also an unfamiliar one, and we weren't quite sure what to expect.  But we moved around and smiled under Steve's direction as he checked lighting and made adjustments and did whatever other things that photographers do, and I look forward to seeing the results.

Photos capture pieces of moments and evoke memories, bringing to mind stories beyond the images themselves. It was fun to work with Steve and Alyssa today, and especially to be with my husband. For me, that contentment is the memory I savor.