Operation: Love ReUnited {Fort Bragg}

As a photographer I truly believe my job is not just to take a photograph of someone, but rather to really capture a glance, an embrace, a laugh... a fleeting moment of time that is a story forever preserved. As one photographer I greatly admire wrote, "I do not sell paper."
A photograph, to me, is one of the most valuable things a person can own. It does not ever depreciate - in fact, it's one of those rare things in life that only gains value as it ages. It is something to cherish forever, something that is proof of "us," something that can be passed down for generations so that we are not forgotten.

I think {hope} that this is how all photographers feel, and this rather romantic outlook is the reason why I especially love photographing families. The idea that these moments will be theirs to look back makes me smile, and I love the thought of them all sitting around someday sharing these images with grandkids & great grandkids - telling stories, reliving memories, and honoring the amazing love & bond that they have.

Last evening I had the pleasure of meeting up with this beautiful family for an OpLove session. They're celebrating Dad's arrival home from Iraq for his R&R...and, of course, the fact that it's the start of summer vacation from school. Despite the "thick" heat outside, they were all just smiles & laughter, and I enjoyed every second of getting to know them. I can't wait to get their gallery out to them so that they can pick their favorite images for me to send downrange to Dad. I hope these memories help bring "home" to him so that the rest of the deployment just speeds by a little bit quicker...

If you would like to know more about Operation: Love ReUnited (aka OpLove) please click here. You can also find the information on my wesbite here, under the "information" tab.