Through My Lens: Photographing My Sister’s Story
Yesterday we celebrated my new nephew (yet to be named!) surrounded by family, laughter, and anticipation.
As I fixed Abby’s sleeve and adjusted her hair, I started thinking about just how many times I’ve photographed my sister over the years. She was going to prom when I first learned how to use a DSLR camera, and she’s been in front of my lens ever since. She even became my assistant photographer for a few years when we photographed weddings together in the 2010s. Later, I had the honor of capturing her Colorado elopement and wedding in 2021. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my career. I put together this collage to celebrate that passage of time, from engagement, to wedding vows, to motherhood, and new beginnings. It’s my little toast to love, family, and the power of photographs to connect every chapter.
After taking a long hiatus from photography, I’ve found so much joy in returning to it… and now her girls are growing up through my lens.
Watching her family’s story unfold frame by frame has reminded me why I fell in love with this craft in the first place. Looking back through the images, I’m struck by how much can change in what feels like such a short time. We don’t always notice the changes while we’re living in them, because we can’t really see the moment fully until it’s passed and we have a different vantage point. In collecting these years side by side… the growth, love, and subtle shifts tell their own story.
That’s the magic of these photographs: they show us how time has been quietly moving all along & delicately preserve the story.
-Andrea
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