It seems everyone is into all things vintage these days, doesn’t it? So here I go jumping on that particular train, too. Have a look at this. Isn’t this an incredibly beautiful old image? And how about that hand colouring that was done back then? This scan simply doesn’t do the image justice.
The young lady in that photo above is my beautiful mum when she was about 21 years old. As I write I am wearing a top that she knitted for herself at about that age. It’s precious, but I love to wear it. Hopefully it will survive all the wearing and washing long enough for me to pass it down to my own daughter.
Here’s another photo of my mum. It’s much more recent, though I realise (with some disquiet, I might add!) that this, too, is now technically “vintage”.
It was taken by Kimberley Mann, the photographer for my wedding in 1993. And you know what? This photo is as precious to me as the hand painted one above, not because it was my wedding day, but because it’s about the only photo I have of us together. I was the last of four babies, and Mum was more likely to be in the kitchen or in the laundry than in photos!
And you know what makes this photo even more precious? Mum died in 1996 — just a few years after I married, and many years before I had children of my own.
And I still miss her.
It wasn’t until my own children were born that I really understood what Mum had given me — and by then it was too late to say thank you. Or sorry.
Perhaps that’s why I love mother & daughter shoots so much. There is a point in every shoot where Mum looks at Daughter and sees the incredible woman she is becoming, and another moment where Daughter looks at Mother and recognises in her the amazing and beautiful woman that she is. These two women — one younger, one older — both learn to appreciate one another more through the simple act of sharing a girly day together. And I know that one day the images we create in their mother and daughter shoot will be counted among that family’s most prized possessions.
So if you still have your mum, go give her a hug and tell her that you appreciate all that she does for you. And mums, go find your children and tell them how proud you are of all they are achieving. It’s a very hip, very cool thing to do. And please, do it now, because one day it will be too late.
Much love to you.
Jen