When my grandfather passed away, my family decided to put together a slideshow of photos to honour him. It felt like the right way to celebrate his life – simple, personal and full of the moments that made him who he was. But as we gathered pictures from old albums, phones and whatever we could find, something became very clear.
There were fewer photos of just the two of us as I got older. Plenty from when I was little, but almost none from my teens or adulthood. I realised I’d fallen into the same habit so many people have – always behind the camera, or stepping aside because I didn’t feel “photo ready”. I assumed there’d always be more chances. There weren’t.
As a photographer, I hear the same lines every week when someone is asked to step in front of the lens:
“Ooh no, I look awful.”
“I don’t know what to do with my hands.”
“My face’ll break the lens!”
They’re always said as a joke, but they’re still a way of avoiding the camera. And the truth is, we don’t realise how much those avoided moments cost us until later. Watching that slideshow, I didn’t care what I looked like in the few photos we had. I just wished there were more. I wished I’d stood next to him in the frame instead of stepping away.
The people you love want you in the story. Not a polished, perfect version – just you, as you are. One day, someone will go looking for photos of you both together. Make sure they exist.
So take the picture. Step in. Pass your phone to someone, or pull a family member close. You’ll never regret being in the frame, but you may regret all the times you avoided it.
When my grandfather passed away, my family decided to put together a slideshow of photos to honour him. It felt like the right way to celebrate his life – simple, personal and full of the moments that made him who he was. But as we gathered pictures from old albums, phones and whatever we could find, something became very clear.
There were fewer photos of just the two of us as I got older. Plenty from when I was little, but almost none from my teens or adulthood. I realised I’d fallen into the same habit so many people have – always behind the camera, or stepping aside because I didn’t feel “photo ready”. I assumed there’d always be more chances. There weren’t.
As a photographer, I hear the same lines every week when someone is asked to step in front of the lens:
“Ooh no, I look awful.”
“I don’t know what to do with my hands.”
“My face’ll break the lens!”
They’re always said as a joke, but they’re still a way of avoiding the camera. And the truth is, we don’t realise how much those avoided moments cost us until later. Watching that slideshow, I didn’t care what I looked like in the few photos we had. I just wished there were more. I wished I’d stood next to him in the frame instead of stepping away.
The people you love want you in the story. Not a polished, perfect version – just you, as you are. One day, someone will go looking for photos of you both together. Make sure they exist.
So take the picture. Step in. Pass your phone to someone, or pull a family member close. You’ll never regret being in the frame, but you may regret all the times you avoided it.
