I traveled to Anchorage last week because I had to have some surgery done. (Don't worry, everything is ok....for now:)) So after my surgery was done and I was feeling a bit better, I decided to take some photos of my parents. Now I have never taken professional photos of my parents. Why? do you ask, well,.... because...well you now how older parents are - they are not quite as cooperative as they could be. I mean the struggle was real folks. Like really real. Neither of them wanted to go with me to the park. They didn't understand that I wanted them to "match." Then when I did get them to go - after some harsh move it along words, I had to struggle to get them in the van. Mom was very willing at this point. My step dad on the other had still didn't understand why we were getting in the van, and driving to a park, when we have a park behind the house. He fought me the entire 2 minute drive to the park. Once there, and he saw that the park had changed in the last 20 years, he then got a bit excited. So before I totally let him wheel off - as he is in a wheel chair - I told him I would like to get the photos out of the way and then he could go explore. Well this was like phase 2!! I wanted him to sit in a nice chair we brought along with us. He wanted to sit in his wheelchair. I wanted his hat off; he wanted it on. I wanted him to take off his sunglasses; he said he liked them better on. Then I tried to take away his walking stick; he only agreed to let me put it directly behind him. After finally just taking it all away and giving in a bit, we were ready to take some photos. Whew!! I didn't spend too much time shooting, as I already knew what images I wanted to capture. And so we shot for a few minutes with both of them, then included my son Jaccob and daughter Brooks - the other two we will have to do later, and then I let him go. And go he did!! He went all over the park with Jaccob chasing him the whole way. After all that, he was happy to see such a beautiful park.When we got home I did some quick edits - (you will be happy to know I am teaching myself photoshop.....) and showed them to them. Tears. I ask myself why haven't I taken more images of them? Why did I wait so long? I don't know all the right answers But I do know, I need to do this for them. For me. For my kids. So they remember them and remember them as they are. I plan to take a lot more of them from now on. And I hope they really like the canvas I ordered them for their living room:)
