Raise your hand if your favorite childhood memory is of the day your whole family wore matching outfits, and sat on a couch together smiling on cue.
If your hand is NOT in the air, then documentary photos & film are for you.
Your story includes the every day things that are taking place in your lives right now. These photo stories become your family history. History is being made right now. Is potting training going on? Are the kids learning to brush their own teeth? Is doing flips on the backyard trampoline all the rage right now? Is there a sport that is in the spotlight? Are the grandparents visiting?
What will you have to show future generations that will captivate them and show them who you were? Consider your family’s traditions. They usually are not focused on the “best” foods or the “biggest” gestures, but rather on a sense of authenticity that draws on your home, your shared history, your favorite activities, and time spent at your kitchen table.
Capturing adventures from the present to share with those in the future is an important part of your family history. In this digital age, it's wonderful to have photos to share with those who are miles away. However, the most precious times come from holding photos found in a shoe box and passing them around and hearing people exclaim...Remember when? You may not think that your family history is exciting or photo worthy........however, I beg to differ. I am positive that within your daily lives there are magical moments.
With ever changing technology, people already have stacks of external hard drives, USB drives, CDs, DVDs, etc. full of pictures that will never be seen as technology changes. Yes, we now have cloud services, and they are great storage repositories. But let me ask you this, how often do you look at those files? Can you find a set of images you want to see, when you want to see them? Many people I know have already lost numerous photos due to a variety of issues. And ... what will happen to those items if you can't pay for the cloud, or you pass away and your children can't pay or don't know your password?
During the holidays, special events, regular family gatherings, deaths in the family ... people don't gather around the old computer to reminisce about Grammy Ginny. It's the box of old photos or that great old album that gets passed around and brings up conversations, laughter, and tears. I am hoping that you at least have a shoe box, or an album or two, filled with memories and stories that your children, and their children can touch, pass around, and share.
Linda Maveri
Family is family, and is not determined by marriage certificates, divorce papers, or adoption documents. Families are made in the heart. Family members can be your best friends. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.
