When Sickness Strikes: A Bittersweet Story of Love
Jasmine & Sam invited me to document one of the most special moments of my career so far. Sam’s dad had been diagnosed with cancer so they threw together a backyard celebration in two weeks. As I knocked on the front door of Sam’s childhood home, I was keenly aware of how this profession has me immediately participating in some of the most intimate moments of strangers lives. Only this time, as they welcomed me in, they didn’t feel like strangers.
Upstairs in a childhood bedroom Jasmine slipped into her Zimmermann dress while both families waited downstairs in sweet anticipation of the moments to come.
The groom’s family gardener of 20+ years created a beautiful chuppah for two judges (long time family friends and one a former boss of the bride) to marry the couple under. The ceremony was drenched in love, laughter and even a few tears as jokes were made and memories recalled. Afterwards, the family gathered on the porch for portraits and drinks.
As I photographed these moments I was keenly aware of my responsibility to memorialize the emotions and events unfolding before me, so that when their loved one leaves them far too soon, there’s something tangible to cling to, to help them return to this moment in time when everyone was together under one roof, celebrating love and life.
It was an honor of a lifetime to be entrusted with this, thank you for having me Jasmine and Sam.
