What I do have is the pictures of her precious little face. I have pictures of her being snuggled in her mommy & daddy's arms, and I have a picture of her wearing the same dress that I wore home from the hospital when I was born. Those pictures allow me to experience those two days with her all over again. When I look through them and hold them, my memories come flooding back, and I truly can feel her, smell her, and hear her again. Pictures are so very powerful.
After London died, I had a new appreciation for life. I recognized quickly that the small things were really the big things. I had an intense desire to capture life for my family - the good, the bad, the joy, the pain...all of it. I didn't want to miss a moment. Eventually, I got a fancy camera and started to learn more and more about photography. I started to find that when I was behind the camera, my pain lessened and my joy increased. I craved it...and I still do. As time passed, I started taking pictures for clients, and I've never looked back.
Sure, I dream of photographing London running through a field of wildflowers at sunset. I dream that she would be twirling and laughing as her long blonde hair flips in the air! I dream of walking into her messy room and hearing her giggling on the phone with her friends. I dream of seeing her nestled between her brothers on the couch as they watch a movie and eat popcorn. Heck, I'd even love to hear her arguing with her brothers! My point is...
I dream of seeing her LIVING! And that is what drives me...that is my WHY! I want to see people LIVING!
I never get tired of celebrating life through my lens. It is an opportunity that I do not take lightly. It is my hope that clients would be able to look back on their images for a lifetime and truly "go there" again. No matter what the occasion, no matter how big or how small, it's all worth being remembered!
I am so thankful for this opportunity to honor London and share her story! It truly means the world to me! Thank you for letting me share my sweet girl with you! Now, I'd love for you to sit back, relax, and take a look at some of the amazing people I've been able to capture living this beautiful life!
On September 11, 2007, our beautiful baby girl, London Cloe, was born. London was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). After nine months in my womb & two days in our arms, London died during open-heart surgery.
London left behind a mommy and daddy who ache to hold her close and a big brother who can only imagine what his sister would be like. Now, she even has a little brother who – I’m sure – she would be bossing around if she were here! :) Although our pain is great, we have been blessed beyond measure through the life and death of our daughter.
Before London, I always had an appreciation for pictures. However, when I had to say good-bye to my little girl for a lifetime, the pictures we had of her became my most treasured possessions. They are absolutely priceless to me because they capture her two days with us...two days I will never get back. And you know what? They're not even "good" pictures! I wasn't a photographer then. I didn't have a fancy camera, and I didn't know about lighting or composition. But all of that didn't matter.
My WHY
