The Value of a Photograph & A VERY Happy Father's Day! {amanda barbosa - photographer, dayton ohio}

Hello! I know it's been forever since I posted anything but today is a special day and I need to make a post for my father...

Some of you might be aware of my father's health issues and I just wanted to take the time to not only share one of my favorite photographs EVER but also talk about the value of a photograph. This photo was taken on July 10th, 1983 and is one of my most valuable possessions, especially in recent difficult times. I remember being a little girl and walking by this photo on our wall. It made me feel so happy to see the love my father felt for me displayed for all to see.  Of course, we always had the typical posed family photos around the house but this image was my absolute favorite and still is. He looks so young and healthy and I look, of course, thrilled to have his absolute attention on that gorgeous sunny day. 

I'm almost certain this image is one of the reasons I became a photographer. I love capturing moments like this in other people's lives. Time is fleeting and these moments cannot always be preserved so clearly in our minds. Having an archival print to relive these memories is a true treasure. With the digital age, our family memories are being buried in hard drives and on discs in a drawer. Unfortunately with our busy lives, we do not always get to enjoy our images unless it's on our phone or computer (and I certainly fall prey to this, as well). Let's bring them to the light! I know it has become commonplace to only order digital files from a professional photographer but I urge you to consider investing in quality prints to preserve your memories. The "inkjet prints" and "one-hour photos" do not hold a candle to archival photo paper and I worry some will find this out too late when the memories physically fade. 

Nothing compares to the esteem building joy your children feel when viewing an image like this one displayed in your home. I can certainly attest to that even 30 years later.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy! And yes, I will always call him daddy :-)

We Moved!

A sincere apology to everyone for my disappearance! We moved and are just now getting back to some kind of normalcy. I truly appreciate everyone's patience during this crazy time.

Happy Mother's Day

At 12:56PM April 25, 2000, I became a mom. I was so young and scared. I read several how-to books and prayed that I would do a good job. No book ever prepared me for how much joy I would experience. Every year Elliot gets older is my new favorite age/year. He has grown to be healthy, smart, kind, funny, handsome, thoughtful, talented...the list goes on. In my terror and inexperience I must have done something right. I miss the days when he was a little bean swaddled in a blanket but now I so enjoy how we've become friends and laugh uncontrollably together. Wherever I am and I notice that it's 12:56, I smile because it was the first time I met my son. He knows this because, of course, I annoy him by talking about it all the time. Today he gave me a clay sculpture of a clock at 12:56 so that I can always be smiling. This Mother's Day is my new favorite day with Elliot and I look forward to tomorrow and the next day...and the next...

Happy Earth Day!

In celebration of Earth Day, Elliot planted a tree in our front yard. We have become more "earth" conscious these past couple of years and feel great about it! Our planet is a wonderful and beautiful place. Let's take great care of it :-)