I never had such a huge urge to see my parents smile in a portrait photography for me before. As you guys might already know, they are a huge part of my life (as for all Asian families), but I think my watching of and taking too serious of Chinese dramas showing the traditional Cantonese family in Hong Kong, has created an inner Asian-ness that will forever be ingrained in me.
I took a lot and i tried so hard to get my parents the perfect picture. After the shots (around 70), i had to tweak the light, Photoshop the colours, but i refused to Photoshop their flaws away. They didn't seem to like it as much as me. They quickly pointed out how old they have gotten, and if i could Photoshop the flaws away, but that's exactly what i was trying to get at. They aren't young anymore (I've been told that they LOOK otherwise), and I have moments where i think about what would happen if they passed away. And through all of that madness, I think to myself, even when I love photography, how come I've never used my parents as my subjects?
These pictures were a long time coming. These were suppose to be done awhile back (June), just I never got the guts to ask if they would like to be my subject. All they had to do was smile for me, and I think I got the shot (regardless of how old they look to themselves).
I want to remember them like this. I want to get old and take a look back at these pictures and smile back at them.
I hope one day they'll be able to see why I chose these photos, and why I chose not to Photoshop the age away.
-Canon Ma
your parents are so pretty :)
ReplyDeletei love that you chose to keep it natural. this isn't an ad for anything so there really isn't any need to make them look picture perfect. these are real people.
ReplyDeleteit kind of reminds me of how i thought when i watched this slideshow at my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. each wrinkle that appeared on her face represented a new accomplishment...another milestone that she had achieved. it totally changed my perspective. now when i see an old person, i see a dignified and experienced person who has lived a full life.
/emo