The Gutierrez Family

As a photographer, I spend much of my time capturing young families and early family milestones: from Brides and Grooms, to pregnancies and births and those exciting years as children grow. All too often, however, families stop seriously documenting once their children are grown.

Yet, every now and again, something comes along that makes you realize the importance of this moment, your family as it is right now, in all its generations of experience and love and legacy … For me, that moment was when my father was diagnosed with a serious illness.

Right away, the photographer in me wanted to schedule a family photo shoot, to mark the time and have something tangible I could see and hold, to remember my father as alive and vital… and with us. My mother, however, wanted to wait until my father was feeling better. But I already felt like too much time had passed and too many opportunities had been missed, so I persisted, and we took the photos. I’m glad I did. My father, unfortunately, never did feel better and passed on last year and I am so thankful I have those images to remember him by.

Recently, I was speaking with Leslie, the front desk “traffic cop” at the Boys & Girls club my daughters attend, and learned that her husband, Kenny, had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I was immediately moved to donate a session to her family and so glad that they accepted.

For obvious reasons, this was a very emotional session for me and I thank my assistant, Jerri, for keeping me “in the moment” and focused on the photography. I know these images will be treasured by this family forever and that Leslie would join me in encouraging you not to wait to document your family at any time and all the time, no matter what the year, no matter how small the milestone.