The Power of Printed Photographs | Ripon CA

Family pictures are a visual diary of the past and the power of printed photographs is enormous. It is likely you have seen albums or framed photos of your grandparents, great-grandparents and other extended family members. If you are like me, the images of those you hold dear are displayed in your home as a reminder of special connections and special memories.

One of my favorite pictures is a photo of my grandparents on their wedding day. Although it was years before I even existed, I can feel all the love and hope and joy my grandparents felt that day, by the look in my grandfather’s eyes as he sees my grandmother in her wedding gown.

This year, between us, my husband and I lost three of our grandmothers, making the pictures we have of them, even more important. These prints remind me of the women who taught us since childhood, what true love was all about. I remember spending summers with my grandparents learning to work in the field, running the corner roadside stand and selling produce. They taught me how to make change in my head and how to tell if a watermelon was ripe enough to eat. They showed me that even though their work was hard, and it meant long days, they loved what they did and it provided enough for them.

Here is a quote that resonated with me,

“Birth certificates show that you were born. Death certificates show that you died. Photographs show that you have lived.”

- Unknown

This sums up why there is so much power in printed photographs. They help us learn about people and places we may not have had the opportunity to know or experience, they help us remember our loved ones, and they serve to teach younger generations about where they came from. If you haven’t done this, I encourage you to look through old family photos with your children and grandchildren. It’s such a blast when “Suzie” figures out she looks like grandma when she was just a girl herself; or that “Johnny” got his cowlick from Uncle Ed.

And if you haven’t had your family or children photographed in a while, I encourage you to consider this as well. The visual diary you create now, will not only be a reminder to you of your unique and special life, but it will be part of the legacy you leave to your future generations. Many times, I’ll suggest that families add hand-written notes to their albums to look back on years later. If you have a high school senior being photographed, write a note to him or her to include with their senior photos. Years later this will serve as a reminder as to how they were as they entered adulthood and how much they meant to you, their parents. When you welcome a new baby in the family, you want to photograph every detail and remember every detail of your sweet baby. You'll blink and their first year will go by so fast and soon they'll be going to Kindergarten and before you know it...senior graduation. The power of printed photographs is very impactful, so why not create beautiful printed pieces that your family can enjoy looking at as each year goes by?

Contact us today to schedule your next photo session!

(209) 456-9353 or hello@rachaelvenema.com