Flat out tired, I lay there, vulnerable, and she took my picture. I was sleeping and I didn’t know this of course, but now I have the moment to remind me forever that my mom loved me, even when I was sleeping.

The interesting thing about everyday photos is that you don’t really think much of them in the moment. You may get a laugh or a hearty chuckle from the people around you that see it. You may even have a story behind the image that is funny and needs to be told. Documentary photography is just that. It inspires story and memory and laughter and the ability to look back with fondness, to a life full of joy.

No matter where you are going, there is something to be remembered. There is always a moment that is worth saving and keeping. Whether you are at the Boise Zoo or the Boise Aquarium or hiking in the foothills, there is a memory there to be shared.

I am reminded of a family that I followed around this last summer at the zoo. Were the moments we spent together spectacular? Not really. Were they extraordinary? Not really. Were they normal and every day? Absolutely. And is that ok? YES!

When you look back at these images, you can say the moment was worth capturing. Remembering Grandma in the prime of her life. Remembering how you held him tight before he got too heavy. Remembering how the kids wanted to spend time with you and not their friends. Remembering how she let you brush and style her hair instead of doing it on her own.

So while in the moment these images may not seem spectacular, in the future, they are insurmountably important. And while I sure as heck didn’t appreciate my mom taking my photo as I was sleeping, it really does mean a lot to me now. Seeing that image brings back lots of fuzzy memories and some not so fuzzy. But that’s life. And it should be remembered that way.

Much love,

Heather