How do you start capturing memories in your home? Where would you even start?!

If you’re like me, you’ve probably seen a million quotes about home. Home being where the heart is, ‘there’s no place like home’ and other cliched ones like ‘Home sweet home’.

However, upon meeting this couple at their home of 45 years, all the quotes about home really started to ring true. One of them that stuck in my mind and truly made sense to me was “Home is where our story begins…”

How did I stumble across this lovely home? A wonderful gift idea came from their son who saw the opportunity for their family home to be photographed before they put it on the market for sale. This came as a nice surprise to his parents as they hadn’t even thought of the idea. At this point I wished I had come up with the idea for our own family home before we sold it!

I didn’t know how to categorise this shoot as it is not an interior architecture shoot or a real estate shoot but really a shoot about capturing the character and memories of this home. I wanted these photos to bring to life the memories that this family had in their home. Something they can look back on and recall. Just like listening to a song can flood back memories and emotions of a certain event in time, a photograph has the power to do the same.  When looking at the paperweight collection from around the world, memories of their travels can be brought home.  Whatever it might be, that’s what photos are for aren’t they? A record of memories, travels and life’s journeys.

Photographs serve such a greater purpose in telling our history and I learnt this right in this very home. J+J introduced me to their family history from their photo wall. I saw photographs of their parents and grandparents  and even learnt about the style of photographic printing and posing trends of the time.

Those portraits weren’t just portraits of their parents but as we looked at them, the history and stories began to unfold. Our memories are reignited and all of a sudden our stories become vivid again in our mind.

Sometimes it is about finding beauty in the mundane.

From a plaque in the garden:

“The kiss of the Sun For pardon

The song of the birds for mirth

One is nearer God’s heart in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth” ~Dorothy Frances Gurney

I love the story about this tree. They first planted it as a tiny tree in the early 70s when they first moved in after getting married. It is now the blossoming canopy feature of the entire backyard.I admire anyone who does embroidery. The patience, attention to detail and fine work they produce is stunning just like this one that Jacque did for their wedding.

“Take my hand and walk with me

The best in life is yet to be

John & Jacqueline

April 22nd 1971″

It was clear to me this family treasured photographs. I loved that I could be a small part of their story in documenting history as they say goodbye to their home.

Selling your home? Call us on 1300 88 36 30 or email info@studioeclectic.com.au for a chat on how we can preserve memories of your own home.

Check out the album we created here for them.