Nicole and I had a great weekend. On Sunday we met with three lovely couples to talk to them about their weddings. During the last interview I was asked about my view of photography. “What does it mean to you?”, she asked.

I’ve marvelled at the miracle of being able to freeze a moment of time quiet often in the past, but I never really thought about what it means to me. The more I think about it now, the deeper the rabbit hole goes. Yes, it’s amazing that we have in our possession a tool capable of capturing moments of our lives that our grand children will wonder about. Yes, it’s great that since Nicole and I met, I have meticulously documented countless events in our lives – picnics, wine tastings, dinners, vacations, family gatherings – you name it, we got pictures of it! But there’s so much more to it than that…

From time to time I imagine I’m an old man, lying in my death bed and looking back on my life. What have I accomplished? How many suffered because of me? How many lives enriched? Will I be remembered as a selfish man who only knew how to take? Or a man who gave the best of himself to others? Will I be hated or loved? Will anyone even care?

Photography adds meaning to my life.  A way to enrich people’s lives and be touched by theirs. It gives me purpose. It gives me hope. It makes me want to do my very best for the people who choose to entrust me with documenting one of the most important days of their lives, because years from now, lying in my death bed, I will know that I lived not only for myself, and that when I die, I will leave behind more than just ashes.