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Today is Why I Do What I Do | In Memory of My Father| Vanessa Hicks Photography

Hi, I'm Vanessa!
Aloha and welcome to the blog! If you are a believer in Disney magic, waiting for your Hogwarts letter, or watches The Office on repeat, you my friend, are in the right place! Take a look around, get to know me and my work, and then, let's plan your special day!
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Every year, for the past 11 years, I hate this day.

11 years ago, I watched my father take his last breath. Was he sick and dying? No. He went in the hospital with a broken leg and never came out. I was 19 years old. In the Navy, deployed,  when I received the Red Cross message.

I didn’t make it back in time to see him awake and conscience, he was already comatose.

Now, I didn’t grow up with the greatest childhood. Drugs, alcohol, abuse, poverty were a normal way of life. My father and I didn’t even have the greatest relationship until the end.

How does the affect my business and love for photography?

Well, it affects it everyday because of my passion for it. You see, because of that type of household I grew up in, capturing memories, taking pictures, documenting life, well, we didn’t do that. We were not that type of family. And really, there were not a lot of memories to capture.

But, then my dad died. And, it was then, at 19, I realized a few things.

I only had a handful of pictures of my father.

Tomorrow is not promised to anybody.

11 years later, I don’t really remember what his voice sounded like anymore. I don’t have any videos to look back on. No messages to replay.

And I have a handful of pictures.

Whenever I look at the last pictures, I remember vividly where we where and what we were.

This translates to what I do because I am constantly preaching how important capturing your memories TODAY are. Your memories WILL fade. Pictures act like music in my opinion, they can bring you right back to that moment in time. I am so invested in capturing others memories because I know what its like to not have any. This is why I love what I do! This is also why I always say to PRINT your photos as well. If you were to ever lose them, then they are gone!

As a photographer, I constantly hear all the ‘excuses’ why one doesn’t capture their memories.

“I can’t afford it.”

“I don’t like the way I look in pictures.”

“My kids are too young.”

The list goes on and on. Let me tell you something. Your legacy is worth it. Your memories are worth it. Your children, family, will be so grateful for your pictures when you job here is done.

I just wanted you all to know where my passion comes from. Why I love what I do! 

I’ll never get my dad back. But, these few pictures that I have of him I will cherish forever, because it is all that I have of him.

What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I’ll never have a chance.

-Jimmy Eat World- May Angels Lead You In.

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I'm Jessica and I'm so happy you're here. This blog a journal about our lives, travels, fashion, and style. Stay a while and say hello!

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