When I was at school
When I was at school there were not any such things as proms in the UK. It was something they did in America, whilst in Cheshire we had a school hall disco and you got people to sign your shirt on the last day. I’m not about to moan about things going all USA, because I’m totally jealous that I never got the chance to get all ‘glammed’ up as a teenager.
When I went off to photograph Connie, who was going to attend her first of the school proms, (the school has one when they are fourteen and another one on leaving school) I never realised just how much it meant to the fourteen years old. The preparations they had put in was impressive. The outfits so glamorous, that I’ve been to less formal weddings. I even saw a girl wearing a dress that I would have bought to wear myself to an evening event. The boys did not miss out either. The transportation on the arrival at the prom was anything but dull. Everything from motorbikes, to cadillacs, but I am biased, in that the girl I was photographing had chosen to arrive in an open top army jeep - genius!
This was fun for everyone and I could see at the school, that there wasn’t a parent there that wasn’t thrilled to be part of their son or daughter’s excitement. Cameras and phones were all go and it was clear how important it was to capture some memories from this. When Connie’s mum booked me for the evening, I knew it was important to her and the family and Connie’s younger sister, that they have some photographs to look back on. This is what I love about photography. If I can make it easier for somebody to have those moments preserved, then why would I turn that down? I get to be part of all the happy parts in people’s lives. I get the smiles and the thanks when they view the images. I get to leave them a disc that they can look back on and laugh about. Photographs with memories for me are so important and it makes my day when somebody wants that too. So bring on the many ways we celebrate and party and remember, because it makes me smile.
See further images in the Celebrations gallery.
