Saudade

NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
edited April 4, 2008 in People
This is not right. Parents are not supposed to bury their kids...
A tragedy struck a young family of our coworkers: their six month old baby Josephine died in her sleep...
I have been honored with a privilege to photograph the last few events associated with the funeral.
It doesn't fell right posting images here, so I put a link instead.
Selected few: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/4511308_Vnpo6
Complete set: http://nik.smugmug.com/Events/479374

"Hug your children whenever you can. You never know if you gonna have another chance"
"May the f/stop be with you!"

Comments

  • ChrisJChrisJ Registered Users Posts: 2,164 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    :cry Definitely not something I like to think about right now... :cry
    Chris
  • saurorasaurora Registered Users Posts: 4,320 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    What a tragedy, Nik! Such a beautiful family....I'm so sorry for their loss. :cry
  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    a treasure trove of beautiful photos for the family.....a very unfair loss....my heart goes out to them......
    Thank you for sharing the photos.
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • dogwooddogwood Registered Users Posts: 2,572 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Wow-- tough shoot. You did a nice job, Nik. I've shot funerals for people I never even knew and still found myself tearing up. You can't exactly use a strobe either, and can't exactly be running around grabbing every angle like at a wedding. Funerals are tough to shoot, that's for sure.
    Portland, Oregon Photographer Pete Springer
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  • ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    I'm so sorry to hear about this tragic event, your photos made my eyes teary, what a nice job you did.
    I wish this family all the best and hope they will find a strengh to move on. :cry
    Marina
    www.intruecolors.com
    Nikon D700 x2/D300
    Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
  • FlutistFlutist Registered Users Posts: 704 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    As the mother of a new baby I cannot imagine losing him in the next three months. This is very tragic, they are lucky to have you to memorialize their baby and preserve the nature of the event. Well done, I'm sure this was not an easy task.
    ~Shannon~

    Canon 50D, Rebel XTi,Canon 24-105L, Canon 50mm 1.8, Tamron 28-75 2.8, 430EX
    www.sbrownphotography.smugmug.com
    my real job
    looking for someone to photograph my wedding 8/11
  • AgnieszkaAgnieszka Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,263 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    That is just heartbreaking! :cry I am feeling very, very sorry for the family.

    Things like that will be in your heart forever. A good friend of mine asked me to photograph her dad that had a really bad cancer, as they expected him to die any day. The whole close family came from Bangladesh to say their good byes and to take the "last picture". My eyes were all teared up .... It was the saddest photo I have ever taken. :cry
    Angie blog | website | facebook page | google+
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    It was very tough shoot indeed - I mean from a purely human perspective, technically it was on par with your average wedding. I simply can't fatom being in parent's shoes myself :cry
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • jeffreaux2jeffreaux2 Registered Users Posts: 4,762 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    I doubt seriously that I would have been able to make it through a job such as this. My heart goes out to the family.

    Another way to help others is to photograph pets that are in poor health. I had an opportunity to do this for a family last year as their pup was to be put to sleep the following day. It was all I could do not to cry. I was more than happy to do it, and the family thanked me profusely. This of course doesn't compare to what you have just done, but.....if any of you ever get the chance to do it, you won't regret it.
    Thanks,
    Jeff
    -Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
    -My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    jeffreaux2 wrote:
    ...Another way to help others is to photograph pets that are in poor health. ...if any of you ever get the chance to do it, you won't regret it.
    You mean, like this: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/296185_wJPkb ?
    Yeah, that was pretty sad event, too...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Very sad.
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

    My Gallery
  • AgnieszkaAgnieszka Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,263 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    You mean, like this: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/296185_wJPkb ?
    Yeah, that was pretty sad event, too...

    Awww :cry :(:
    Angie blog | website | facebook page | google+
  • jeffreaux2jeffreaux2 Registered Users Posts: 4,762 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    You mean, like this: http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/296185_wJPkb ?
    Yeah, that was pretty sad event, too...

    Yes. Exactly like that.

    http://jkmann.smugmug.com/gallery/3280115_NC2Hq/3/235191935_THX5v/Medium
    Thanks,
    Jeff
    -Need help with Dgrin?; Wedding Photography Resources
    -My Website - Blog - Tips for Senior Portraiture
  • jdfaithjdfaith Registered Users Posts: 172 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    There's probably a segment of the population that considers the photos morbid but as a parent who's suffered the loss of a child, you can't imagine how helpful the photographs will be to the family in the processes of healing and remembrance.

    My heart breaks each time I hear of another family having to deal with the loss of a child.

    Nikolai, your service couldn't be more appreciated.

    John
    http://www.jdfaith.smugmug.com

    Take more pictures!
  • photogmommaphotogmomma Registered Users Posts: 1,644 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    My heart breaks for this family. I can't even imagine....

    Beautifully captured and wonderful selection of processing.
    Andi

    www.tippiepics.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    jdfaith wrote:
    There's probably a segment of the population that considers the photos morbid but as a parent who's suffered the loss of a child, you can't imagine how helpful the photographs will be to the family in the processes of healing and remembrance.
    So true... I am in fact from the country where such thing (photographing the funeral) would be considered as an utterly despicable action. It took me 10+ years of living here in US and getting familiarized/accustomed with many other religions and cultures (California is a melting pot of many nations, as you know) before I could even consider offering my help in such a matter. And even at that I was not sure initially, so I approached them very-very carefully via "2d degree proxy" (close friend of a close friend of the family). However, my offer was almost immediately accepted (they both knew me well enough and knew my work), and several times during the various ceremonies they both expressed their sincere gratitude and assurance that this will help them to heal and become a better family (not that they were not to begin with).
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • FlyingginaFlyinggina Registered Users Posts: 2,639 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    You are right. The loss of any child is not fair or right. And it is beyond the understanding of those of us who have not experienced it.

    It must have been difficult to take these pictures, but your photographs will help the family keep the memory of their little girl alive and your thoughtful act of kindness will be long remembered. You set an example for us all.

    Peace.

    Virginia
    _______________________________________________
    "A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know." Diane Arbus

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  • tonichelletonichelle Registered Users Posts: 144 Major grins
    edited March 16, 2008
    the photos are so heartbreaking... I don't have half the strength you do.

    it takes a special sort to photograph these types of events. :cry
    "It's only an island if you look at it from the water."
  • Lee MasseyLee Massey Registered Users Posts: 274 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2008
    Wow... How emotionally heart wrenching that would be... I can't even imagine... :cry

    Good of you to be there for them Nik...

    IMG_7060... Wow... :cry

    Lee
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2008
    Lee Massey wrote:
    Wow... How emotionally heart wrenching that would be... I can't even imagine... :cry

    Good of you to be there for them Nik...

    IMG_7060... Wow... :cry

    Lee

    Lee, thank you!
    I actually marked that one as one of the strongest images in the whole series, and even printed it as a "title" image to go alone with the printable CD...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • vaio2006vaio2006 Registered Users Posts: 93 Big grins
    edited April 3, 2008
    wow...
    A few years back, I guess it was my freshmen year of high school. A young boy died from a undetected heart disorder. I had to take part in filming the memorial service on campus. It was the hardest thing I've done so far... It was hard for me to point the camera at people who were greiving so much..

    thanks for sharing your photos.
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  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited April 4, 2008
    vaio2006 wrote:
    wow...
    A few years back, I guess it was my freshmen year of high school. A young boy died from a undetected heart disorder. I had to take part in filming the memorial service on campus. It was the hardest thing I've done so far... It was hard for me to point the camera at people who were greiving so much..

    thanks for sharing your photos.
    Thank you for stopping by and sharing!
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • dawssvtdawssvt Registered Users Posts: 413 Major grins
    edited April 4, 2008
    jeffreaux2 wrote:
    I doubt seriously that I would have been able to make it through a job such as this. My heart goes out to the family.

    I totally agree. I teared up just looking at the pictures :cry

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