Most weeks are quite similar for me, as it is with most people when it comes to work. I meet families, get to know them for an hour or more as a photograph them, chat with them on the phone about details and then I go on my way. This past week was different for me. One family had quite an impact on my life.
During my routine pre-shoot phone call about the details of the photography session, the mom informed me her nieces would be joining them in the photo shoot. It wasn't an unusual request, many people bring extended family with them. The big kicker with this shoot is that I was going to have to drive 2 hours to get to the beach where they were staying, but I decided to make the most of it. I got over half way to their beach in Charleston on Monday and I received a phone call. It was the dad and he said it was pouring rain and they needed to reschedule for Tuesday. I was a little irritated that I had put a bunch of miles on my car and was going to have to go back the next day which meant I was going to have to miss my weekly Bible study.
Tuesday rolled around and I made the trip up to north Charleston for a second time. After I took several pictures of the family everyone went back to their condo and I was left with the mom and her oldest son to finish up with some senior pictures for him. We started talking and she informed me that they were the care takers for the girls, then she went on to tell me that they had recently lost their mother to breast cancer. I had noticed pink ribbon tattoos on both parent's wrists during the shoot and asked if they were in memory of her and as I thought, they were. I went on to talk to the mom about the loss of her sister and it was hard to not tear up. I left that photo shoot so thankful to have been able to photograph this amazing family. I believe God places certain people in our lives at a specific time for a reason, even if only for a couple hours.
