
During a stylized shoot some time ago, I was asked by a good friend how I got into photography. It was the first time someone had specifically inquired about my journey, forcing me to reflect deeply on what inspired me to transform this magnificent art into my full-time career and write this blog.
My thoughts immediately turned to my grandmother, whom I affectionately called Nana. Growing up in the heart of an Appalachian coal mining community was challenging, where life was tough, and the simplicity of existence was both a blessing and a struggle. My dad, my grandfather, and most of my uncles were coal miners; in such an environment, memories were not just cherished, they were vital.

Nana was the epitome of warmth, humor, and love, always with a camera in hand. She captured every moment - from holidays to ordinary days, instilling in me an early fascination with photography. Life in a coal mining town meant that children played outside, mothers often stayed at home, and family bonds were tight-knit.

The moment that truly ignited my passion for photography was Christmas in 1998. That year, my mother, brother, and I had moved to South Carolina, leaving Nana to spend her first Christmas alone. The impact of our absence was not fully understood until after her passing, when we sifted through boxes of her photographs. Among the countless memories, one photograph stood out poignantly.

It was a picture taken by Nana herself, dated Christmas 1998. She had placed all our photos under the Christmas tree and photographed them. Seeing this image, we were moved to tears; it was her way of keeping us close despite the physical distance. This single photograph ignited a lifelong passion for capturing memories, highlighting the profound power of images to convey emotion and presence.

Photography became more than just an art for me; it was an outlet for the struggles of growing up in the coal mines of Appalachia. My love for capturing moments, inspired by Nana, is rooted in the belief that everyone should have these captured memories - little reminders of the past, of the special people and moments in their lives.
Those photographs provided Nana with comfort in her loneliness, and they taught me the true value of memories. They inspired me to become a photographer, to offer others the irreplaceable gift of preserving their own precious moments

Memoroies can never be replaced. Photographs freeze those memories in time, preserving them so we can revisit and relive the times we hold so dear ~ C.H.
Comments