Congratulations Jake & Tini: your emotion won
Neil August 30th, 2006
I’m sorry if I’m now hazy on who’s grandfather this was but and image from Jake and Tini’s wedding of a child hugging her (I believe great-grandfather) recieved a 3rd place award from the WPJA.
Emotion category wedding photography award from the WPJA from this Chatauqua wedding event.






This is a picture of Grandpa Bell hugging his great-grandchild, Hannah Bell Ports. Grandpa Bell is the bride’s paternal grandfather.
Hannah is Grandpa Bell’s second great-grandchild. The third is Hannah’s fraternal twin sister named Raina. Heidi and Michael Ports are the twins’ parents. Heidi is the bride’s cousin and the daughter of the bride’s aunt Gretchen Bell Sues.
This is special for me because the little girl is the daughter of the couple(Heidi and Mike) whose wedding was the first family event that I attended with Christina. That wedding was on my birthday; a birthday which I happen to share with that very same Grandfather pictured above. Small world, eh.
I think its special becuase it shows the innocence and authenticity of childhood we experience on both sides of our lives. The innocense and authenticity that we haven’t learned to complicate by our masks (in our childhood), and have given up trying to make-up because we’ve learned their futility (in old age). And that is an example to me as an artist - to give people the opportunity to live above and beyond their self imposed self consciousness; and to make art that communicates the moments that may break through and show our humanity. This is represented in the image, as the hands. Hands complacent and grasping at nothing.
What a beautiful representation of love. I hope someday to show this picture to Hannah Bell (named after my mom and grandfather) and tell her what an amazing, special man her great-grandfather is. Not too many two year olds would allow a “stranger” to embrace them, but clearly Hannah trusts him and knows his arms are safe and filled with nothing but joy- seeing his granddaughter married at one of his most special places must have brought back such wonderful memories. Thanks for the photo- we will treasure it always- Heidi Ports