My mom has late stage Parkinson’s and has had the disease since my early 20s. It’s a horrible disease that has robbed her of being the active grandmother she always dreamed she would be. Not only does Parkinson’s affect her body, but it also impacts her personality. We still can have wonderful talks on the phone, but it gets harder for me to remember the more light-hearted times. With each ability she loses, we all grieve again.

Recently, I came upon a video of my extended family and me dumping water and splashing each other around a kiddie pool. (My uncle and cousin spent hours uploading and correcting old photos and videos for the family via a cloud-sharing service.) It was a really funny video, but I started sobbing. The video was blurry and shot from far away, but I saw my mom in a way that I didn’t remember existed. She was so funny and goofy running around and dumping water on us like how I am with my kids today.

Prior to this video, my sister and I have been trying to understand why we are so goofy when we have such a serious mom. When I saw the pool video, I finally understood. Our mom was silly too. Yes, I cried when I saw this vibrant woman in the video. I miss her. But it also enlightened my view of what kind of mother she was to me, which for that, I am forever thankful.

The Need for Documentary Family Photography

Thanks to my aunt for taking that video, my memory of my mother is more accurate. Could you imagine if someone like me had photographed that family get-together? I can only imagine the dynamic imagery that would have been produced. I could put those images on my wall or in my pocket and constantly be reminded of my vibrant mother.

So, friends, that is what I want to offer to you: photographic proof of your love. These photos of your family will someday remind your children of who you were and how much you loved them.

Interested in hiring me for documentary family photography? I’d love to chat with you regarding your needs. Please contact me.