My "Why": Photos that Matter

I’m lucky. I have some great family photos of my childhood - holidays, family vacations, birthday parties, camping trips, but also the details: the car we were incredibly embarrassed to be seen in, the bowl cut my sister and I shared for years, photos of our childhood home. Those photos are so valuable to me. There are, however, some moments that I wish I had photos of, but that were never taken because life is busy and, at the time, the importance of those moments wasn’t as obvious.

I was a very picky eater as a child and I was very particular about where I sat at the dinner table. My chair was different than all the others around the table. It had a white vinyl seat and the wood trim was originally a bright 70s orange but my parents had painted it white at some point so that it blended better with the dining room set they had bought. I still remember some spots where the orange peeked through. There were only a few things I would eat and I remember my mom making those classic kid friendly meals for me – KD, grilled cheese, tomato soup. I had a favourite green mug for the soup into which I would dip pieces of toast. I had a plate with bunnies on it that I had to use. I would count the bunnies and get lost in the little illustrations. I loved that plate so much. This type of memory makes me feel something about that time in my life. How many photos do I have of this mug, the plate, my mom making me grilled cheese, me by her side, helping her? None.

I wish I did have those photos, for me, but also so that I could have a visual record to show my kids. I wish I could give them an idea of what our day to day life looked like back then.

There are other moments that aren’t so clear for me. I don’t remember much about my first bedroom – I think it was pink. I don’t know what was hanging on the walls. I don’t remember what blanket I slept with or my favourite toy. I shared a room with my sister and we each still have our half of the bunk beds which our kids now use. How many photos do I have of my bedroom as a child? = 0 . How cool would it be to show my daughter that her bed was once mine and how it looked in my room, sitting below her aunt’s bed.

This is why I am so passionate about the documentary approach to photography. These memories are important and they are the photos we forget to take. You may not realize how much an object or expression can trigger memories and emotions. I want to give that gift to my clients – to give them a piece of their life now so that they can reconnect with it anytime. I want the kids to remember their favourite things and what their room looked like. I want them to see the love their parents have for them in the glances and hugs. I want them to know that life was messy, full of emotion, imperfect but beautiful. Honest, raw and meaningful. I want them to see their whole family together doing what they do on an ordinary day in their own home because those little moments are the big moments. 

What moments from your childhood do you wish you had photos of? Or do you have a photo from childhood that you treasure because it tells part of your story? Share it below!

Top 3 Reasons To Book a Documentary/Lifestyle Newborn Session

You may be asking yourself, what is a documentary /lifestyle newborn session? 
A photo session that documents real moments between you and your baby where you spend most of your time – in your home. You go about your routine while a photographer captures those moments in an artistic way to tell YOUR story. The goal is to create perfectly imperfect, honest photos with real emotion. 

Here are 3 reasons to consider this type of session. If you make it through these reasons, you can see for yourself what this type of session is all about in the photos below.

1)      Sessions take place in the comfort of your own home. 

When I think back to my first few weeks at home after having my babies, personally, the last thing I wanted to do was leave the house. I felt like it took me so much time to finish the simplest tasks that trying to plan for a photo session seemed out of the question. For such a little person, they bring lots of changes, emotions and new routines. In-home photo sessions mean that you don’t have to think about what to bring in that diaper bag, packing up everyone in the car, scheduling your appointment around feeding times or hoping that everyone is in a great mood the entire time. You can stay in the comfort of your own home and just do what you do. There is such a raw beauty in that because it is personal and represents your life as it is now. 

2)      You and your family can focus on just being you.

If you have other children, they can easily participate without having to worry that they will get distracted, bored, or throw a tantrum. True emotion is welcome and in fact, that is the whole point of a documentary/lifestyle session. You may be amazed at how children so easily forget that the camera is there, enjoying the attention and proud to show their world to someone new. Also, let’s face it, some Dads aren’t as pumped about a photo session as Moms. As much as they will love and treasure the photos, they are often along for the ride at first. Documentary/lifestyle sessions take the pressure off - no expectations to pose – they can be themselves and just enjoy time with their family.

3)      Capturing the details

Documentary session are all about being authentic and honest. Having a baby is a time filled with joy but it is also challenging, exhausting, [insert every other emotion here]. Why not be true to this fact and capture the fuller range of what it means to be a mom of a newborn. Think dishes, laundry, diaper changes but also all of the good stuff like little baby hands and toes, those little pouts and how they feel cradled in your arms. Remember that nursery that you spent so much time planning? This is the perfect backdrop for your baby’s first photo shoot – a space filled with personal items picked just for them. And, speaking from experience, once they get older they will "decorate" themselves and so it will never look quite the same. So, document it now!

Kids love hearing about their story and what better way to tell it than through photos that capture all of these details of real family life.  As many moms will attest to, lack of sleep and hormones play tricks on your memory. Having photos will fill in those gaps for you.

To find out more about a newborn in-home photo session, please contact me!  

www.mathieu-photo.com

Margo + Gerry: Soul Mates

While most of my photography centres around children and families, moments to document don't stop when children are grown. Themes of love and connection cut across generations and don't lose their importance as we age. When I was contacted several weeks ago by Wish of a Lifetime, an organization that fulfills wishes for older adults, I was so happy to have this chance to tell the story of one wish coming true.

Through their work, Wish of a Lifetime, allows us to connect to inspiring stories and helps to shift the way we talk about aging. I was excited to be able to show the beauty in it and to preserve the moments for the couple I worked with in an honest and personal way.

Margo and Gerry were married 47 years ago in a small ceremony. At the time of their marriage, they could not afford a honeymoon and so, 47 years later, they finally got their honeymoon. The charming Rideau Inn B&B, provided the perfect backdrop for this couple to share some time together. Gerry had surprised Margo at Christmas with a romantic gift - a ring engraved with their names and the words "soul mates" that she proudly showed me. You could see the love and devotion they share for each other in their eyes and their gestures. They know each other through and through and there is such an ease and comfort that seems effortless along with a strong sense of humour that keeps things light. Lasting love, there is perhaps nothing sweeter.

www.mathieu-photo.com