My Story: Why I do What I do…

This month, iheartfaces is hosting an awesome giveaway. They are giving away a FREE ticket to Amy Wenzel’s photography workshop in Grand Rapids, MI. In order to enter, you have to write {in 600 words or less, of course} what it is that you do that inspires people?  So, below is my attempt at telling how I wish to inspire  people.

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If you have been following my blog for a little while, you have seen a couple of stories of people in our community and their photographs.  (I put links to them at the end of the post)  I have a heart for telling stories, real life stories, and connecting them with photography.  I believe that in telling our stories, the real stories of our lives, that we can touch others in theirs.  We can reach out with parts and bits of our story that will resonate with somebody out there.

By adding in photography, we add a visual piece of that story.  What we may not be able to express in words can be seen in a photograph.  Catching Memories started out as a cute catchy name for my business, but as I really think about what direction I want to take my life, I find that the name really sits well with what I want to accomplish.

I want to tell stories, catch memories for all time, to give a visual and a word picture of what they look like.  I want to touch people with your stories.  I want to be transformed by your story.  You give me strength to move throughout my life.  You face difficulty, you face life head on, and put one step in front of the other to keep challenging life to give you it’s best shot.  That part of your story is encouraging to me to do the same.  And because it encourages me, I know that it encourages others, if we have the strength to tell it.

This is why I give my meager skills as a photograher to you in exchange for your story.  I desire to tell your story here because I desire to inspire others with strength, your strength, your encouragement, and your life.   There are so many people out there living in a constant struggle to find the strength to move forward in their life.  There are so  many people out there in need of knowing they are not alone in their struggles.    Whether it’s a mom who struggles with a colicky baby, or someone faced with poverty, or someone dealing with a death of a loved one or someone struck with illness.   Then there are the stories of families who have a loved one who is incarcerated or of  small organizations that reaches across the world to help feed the poor.  Then all the stories of everything in between.  I want to tell your stories because I know that you are not the only person out there struggling with these issues.  I want to encourage others who deal everyday with these same pains.  So that they may have the courage to reach out and use their story as well.

Maybe as a community we can reach out using only our stories, our lives and touch someone’s life for the better.   Not as a voyeur, but as a storyteller, as a way to reach out and connect.   Connect in the deepest way possible, in our pain, and struggles.

Contact me if you are interested in sharing your story.  We can schedule your free story session.  I have openings from April on…  Please think about reaching out to others using your life story.  It’s a small thing, but I believe it to have a huge impact.

I have another story session to be released next week.   Meet the W family.  :)  If you want to see past Story Sessions click here and here.