I have been photographing various members of my family for over 40 years, during which time, some members are sadly not here any longer, whilst others have happily arrived. Since the arrival of my own family, most of it has been in the digital era, the very beginning was still whilst I shot film and happily and fortuitously for me, I have digitized some of them.
Sadly, most of my images shot on film, I have only a vague idea of where they are, not the easiest places for me to get to without putting my back-out, which I don’t wish to do. And if I am able to get to them, it will be a long job going through them and then scanning them. So, for the purposes of this post, I going to make do with what I have, I hope you will forgive me.
You’ll understand, I hope, that most of what I have shot over those many years, were mostly “snap shots”, for family only and of no interest to anyone else outside of the family – keep sakes, memories, nothing of photographic significance, but none-the-less, important to me and other members of my family – and to some of them, perhaps not now, but in time to come, they will be. They are a record. They evoke memories and feelings of times past and also of people long gone, but not forgotten, in one form of media or another.
Years ago, when I was studying photography, I met a young American woman living in London, who studied with me for a while and whose marvelous images inspired me. Her name was Cindy Swartz and she was a cut above all of us and for the short while I knew her, we were friends and often went out to shoot together, she was a good influence on me. As a group we had exhibitions together in London and one set of images and prints that Cindy put up were photographs of her family in the bath and shower. They were very tastefully done, and marvelously printed, by Cindy herself. The whole series of images were truly inspiring and sadly, I haven’t produced anything nearly as creative with my family.
One of my memories of my early interests in photography, and remember it was the days of film, was shooting double or multiple exposure images of my family. The many attempts I made were mostly failures, but there were a couple of good shots, as I remember, one of my mum, it was four exposures on a single frame of colour negative – my mum in three different places on the landing in our house, with a the fourth being a candle being carried up the stairs, in the dark to produce a light trail. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty good, one of the exposures coming out as a slightly ghostly image. At that time, I would buy photographic magazines, usually second hand – they were cheaper that way, from a local book and comic store. The image was inspired by an article with photographs of a model exposed several times. The image in the magazine was better than my attempt, but I was very proud of what I managed to produce.
A short pause here, as I went upstairs and with the help of my wife and daughter, together we opened an old wooden travel chest, where amongst other things some of my old photos, along with my dad’s and his dad’s photo are kept! My daughter is now old enough to have some appreciation of them, found them most amusing. I will have to spend some time going through them, but I did find my failed double exposure attempts! And shortly after remembered where the photo of my mum is.
Back then I didn’t shoot as many photos (for a fact I didn’t – film was expensive and digital tends to be far easier to “reel off”), I don’t recall my family being annoyed with me for all my enthusiasm with my camera, there was no moaning or groaning, “not another photo”.
Perhaps I took my family for granted and never really thought too much about the photographs I took back then. I think much more now about everything I shoot and these days my photography is more “project” minded, had I thought about my own family years ago, there was scope for long term projects. I also regret a little that I never took my children out with me specifically when I was shooting and perhaps natured an interest in photography in them. I don’t think my son would ever be interested in photography, but my daughter – there was/is potential there, and she has taken one of my film cameras recently. Her bedroom wall, both at home and at university are full of photographs – prints.
This then, is where it’s a bit harder for me…my family are very used to me, seeing me with a camera is completely normal, but when I point it at them, this becomes a point of contention as they probably are a little fed-up of me trying to take any photographs. It’s happened too often for them and they are older now and not so tolerant as they used to be – this of course includes my wife. But I don’t think it’s just me, as my wife has found out herself – when she attempts to take our photo at the dining table – we’re rarely all at home now – at least at the same time.
However, I feel that’s only part of the problem, once again, I’ll say it – “everyone has a phone!”. Not all people and not all families are the same. I’ve already alluded to my problem though…I’m after more than just family photographs and don’t get me wrong, I’m more than happy to capture those images, but I’d like to create some really memorable ones. I mentioned projects too earlier and that’s another area, I wished I had thought of years ago and begun to explore. There is little to no chance of any of my family posing for me, not at least when I want to shoot, at family occasions is fine - everyone will pose, or when it suits them, but those are not always the images I want to capture.
Later this summer, when I travel back to England for a family occasion, I will have an opportunity to shoot family, some of which I haven’t seen in a couple of decades…I hope that I will make the most of the chances I have and who knows, perhaps I’ll take one or two memorable images!
And lastly...no images of my dad here, who is largely responsible for my interest and passion in photography...a huge regret that I did not shoot more of him (film only), and none I can find for this post ~ don't make the same mistake!