WORDS AND IMAGES BY SANDRA STOKMANS, UTRECHT NETHERLANDS DOCUMENTARY FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER
“I am at a loss for words” was Bernadette’s response. “Such gorgeous pictures of such intense precious moments”. I thought that was the most wonderful response on this emotion-filled documentary shoot. I was very moved by it. Not in the least because I knew Grandpa had received bad news right before I arrived.
On a Tuesday morning I drove to Berghem to photograph a Grandpa and Grandma with their two grandsons, both 2 years (about 5 days apart).
Their daughter, Bernadette, wanted a Day in the Life session for her father and his two grandsons as a memory for later. Last year, her father was treated for cancer, and just before I came they had some bad news. The day was filled with emotion, Grandma’s emotion and little boys emotions, from joy to sadness. For very different reasons. There were times where the cousins where in each others way. They came out of their tears or anger with help of Grandpa’s comforting arms and Grandma’s enthusiasm.
The boys will not be able to remember all the great times they had with their Grandpa and then this Day in the Life session, will be as Bernadette wrote “a lasting memory set in the now”. How beautiful is that?
The everyday moments that make us happy, are the moments we want to remember.
Sandra Stokmans is a documentary family photographer based in Tienhoven (Utrecht) and a Featured Photographer with Documentary Family Photographers.
At DFP we love documentation of the grandparent/grandchild relationship. Email us at dfpcommunityblog@gmail.com with the subject “Grandparents” and attaching your favourite grandparent/grandchild images for a chance to be featured on our blog next month. Images to be sized at 72dpi, 1200px on the widest length, named “Firstname_Lastname_Grandparents”, with your watermark, if you choose.
Want to capture your children with their grandparents? Find a local photographer in your area here.
