

I went to photograph my grandmother a couple weeks ago and she warned me she didn’t like to have her picture taken. I told her not to worry because I was a professional. She kept saying no one wants a picture of her, but she relaxed after a couple shots and soon I was able to capture the spirit of my grandmother. On the surface, she’s a sweet old woman in a tiny frail frame. But she is full of life and positive energy, and she’s not afraid to put a grown man in his place (or to make him cry if it will do him some good). She’s always cracking subtle jokes that are unexpected and quite funny. That’s the grandmother my family all knows and loves. She’s a joy to be around and I’m so glad to have captured some images that speak louder than my words ever could…
Oh, one more thing – at the end of the session I showed her a couple frames and she almost gasped with surprise, “Well, those aren’t bad at all!” Did I mention I was a professional, Grandma? I love how good photography can be redeeming; how it can help dislodge the distorted perceptions we sometimes have of ourselves. That brings me joy. Thank you, Grandma Helen!