Kodak Moments

My parents never had a family photo taken with me. When I recently asked my Mum why, she said at the time her and my Dad just didn't think of it and neither of them liked their picture taken.

When I look at all my childhood photos one parent was always taking the image of the other parent (sound familiar?) and I guess for that generation, that was considered enough for the family album collection.

My Mum and Dad divorced at a young age. My Mum remarried and my stepfather had a camera permanently attached to his hand! He was forever snapping photos and you could never trust him to capture you at your absolute best moment, always when you were stuffing your face or pulling your best resting bitch face. He loved a sense of community and held many get togethers where he was right in his element capturing pictures.

My stepfather is a very strong reason behind why I am a photographer today after handing me my very first camera on a family trip at the age of eleven. Now as an adult I completely understand why he spent so much time behind it! It's more than a camera you are holding, It's a guardian for your memories.

He preserved his presence and his spirit for the day he would no longer be here.

Even though my Dad didn't like his photo taken he is preserved in the ones he was pictured in that hang proudly on the walls of my childhood home. Little snippets of the man my Dad was donated to me from his loved ones, all with their own life and story attached to them (especially around cars and engines!).

Even though no one ever liked the photos my stepdad took of them, we know exactly WHO took them, and we get to smile at his memory every time they are pulled out or looked at.

After coming from an era where my stepdad was chastised for forever holding a camera, technology has advanced so much that he would fit right in with his camera in hand in 2024, and I know my Dad would have grown into the selfie era if he were still here.

Don't let your biggest regret be that you didn't take enough photos. The years pass by so fast. Little ones grow. Special milestones arrive way too quick.. People change. New additions are welcomed to the family. We take for granted the precious value of our images. Images are memory keepers. Story tellers. Emotion risers. Preservers of time. They will bring people together around tables for deep discussions and abundant laughter for many years to come.

So just how precious is an image?

Wait until they are all you have....

CMJ xo

Dedicated to the loving memory of my Dad and Wayne xo

My Dad & I, 1991

Cuddles with Dad, 1991

Dad & I, 3 years old.

Wayne, My 18th Birthday - The last image we had taken before he died

With my Mum & Wayne, My leaver's dinner 2007