Family events
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Let's face it: I've become the middle-aged photographer uncle at family gatherings. I like to think it's almost expected of me to take my camera to these events and snap a few proper photos to compliment the myriad phone photos taken by others. I'm happy to do this. It allows me to stay in the background and capture moments more discreetly, or to engage with people for candid portraits, depending on my mood and energy level.
Previously I thought that the photos taken during family events are not interesting in that sense that they should be shared outside the people hosting and attending. They're mundane, lack any artistic value, just downright boring. That was until I read two articles by David Smith on 35mmc (Breaking the Bank for a Bubble — A One-Shot Story, Capturing a Friend’s Celebration of Life on Film). These stories made me look the photos I've taken in similar situations in a new way, and realize that there is indeed value in sharing them more publicly.
They're not just decent photographs, but also artefacts of time, people, places, and all things related to them. How people dress. What their homes look like. What they eat. And so on. Maybe in 70 years somebody will look at my photos and find the world captured in them interesting. Just like I do when looking at everyday photographs from 1950s.
The photographs in this post are from my nephew's 10th birthday party, held at his home. If you're from the future and happen to stumble upon them, here's what you're looking at: a Finnish family gathered together in 2024.
Got something to say? Please reach out to mkukka@jkry.org!