Family Photography: A Time Machine
(Written by Chris Ling)
I have stopped shooting wedding photograph commercially for the past 10 years, and I only make exceptions for my previous clients when time permits. We will sort out our schedules and make arrangements for the shoot.
For these family photography shoots, the satisfaction is never from the charges collected and is instead from the unending connection that the clients and I have. They had trusted me for their pre-wedding photography shoot when they were a wedding couple, and now I am able to see their next generation also working with me to create a family photos. I am able to stamp the time, the moment, the bond, and the emotions of this family, like how I see the connection when it was just two people.
For these images, only time reveal the true value.
The power of photography is what drives me to carry on the passion. Photography has the ability of a time machine. When the years have passed and a decade feels like a flash, these images will bring back the memories. It will allow you to reminisce the days and relive the moments.
Therefore, never undervalue photography. If you are deciding whether to forgo pre-wedding photography, family photography, or any photography of a special moment in your life, I will advice you not to. You will not know what you have missed out. When the time comes that you wished you had an image to hold on to, I’m afraid I can’t build a real time machine to do so.
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Here’s Ivy and Steve from their pre-wedding photography, to now a family of four. This wasn’t the first documentation of their milestones, I have been shooting for Ivy and Steve every few years. It never stops to amaze me how fast children grow, we have the photos to compare!
This was a studio family photography. Most of the market’s freelance photographers cannot have a photography studio. Some do not have the opportunity to learn studio lighting techniques, while others do not have the capitol. Therefore it leaves the clients with only the option of an outdoor family photography. For us, I built my studio so that our clients have a choice: air-con, or no air-con!
Jokes aside, there is merit in any form photography. I believe that if you make the effort to evolve, no medium will be outdated.
