***Just a warning that this post might be a little all over the place; I've had so many ideas racing through my head that they tend to get muddled up.***
"A sister is a forever friend..."
-Unknown
Have you ever become so close with someone that they become a sister to you? Although people drift apart and lose contact, you will always have the memories of being with that person: laughing at the latest movie, bashing that T-Swift song that you secretly love to sing in the shower. Blood isn't needed to forge a bond of sisterhood.
Mary-Claire and Cari during their back-to-back senior sessions in the Spring 2014
One of the best parts of photographing people is the opportunity to capture relationships like these. But a "cheeseface" doesn't always convey that social bond as well as a less posed photograph. As such, a goal of mine for the next year is to shoot more candid photographs. Sometimes, a little half-smile or laugh can be chock full of feeling even more so than a wide grin. These moments are what I aim to shoot. Goal = more candids. More candids = a better representation of how people actually feel; of what friends and sisters and couples actually mean to each other.
My sister, Tara, hopped into a few frames during Rejeanna's senior session.
Roommates Isabel, Ashley, Laura, and Sarah were my upstairs neighbors this past year. I can't thank them enough for the Tiff's Treats and for sheltering me at 12am when I accidentally locked myself out of my apartment.
Photographing friends and sisters has made me think of how much my own friendships mean to me. It's reinforced how important it is to document relationships and memories because you can't always be there to hang out face-to-face. So take that selfie with your sister; spend as much time with them as possible; and hold on to every second. Chances are, you'll be looking at that one photo 10 years from now wishing you had more of them.
-Hannah
