Being able to take photos so conveniently is a luxury that generations before us couldn’t have imagined. For many of us, taking photos are a part of our every day lives. But, how often do we stop to think about why we are taking these photos (other than to show off on social media)? Here are a few of the reasons I love photographs, and how they are much more important than we often realize.

1. Photos document our legacy

They share pieces of our lives that always aid to a much larger story than our own. We don’t often pause to think about the significance of the photos we snap now or how they matter. But, somewhere down the line, someone is going to desire to know who we once were and wonder about the stories connected to our lives. Inevitably, our stories all impact someone, somehow. I shared a personal experience about this recently, which you can read here. At their very core, photographs tell stories and paint pictures of our lives…they create a tangible timeline of our lives and of the people and places we loved.

2. They capture our memories

Long after precious seasons or moments we experience in life, these memories begin to fade. Time is a tricky thing like that. When the memories are a little foggy, or perhaps forgotten, photos remind us of the moments that brought us joy. The moments we felt the need to capture, to hold onto. They transport us back to the times we don’t want to forget. The photo below is of my husband as we walked along the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland last April. This was one of my favorite days I’ve experienced in my life thus far, and I hope I never forget it. But, I know that one day this day memory will fade, or perhaps I’ll outlive my husband and we will no longer be able to adventure together. I want to remember this day. I want this image to remind me of the journey we are on together in life. I’m sure you have photos in your possession that make you feel the same. Which leads me to my next point…

3. Photos have the power to make us feel

The power of a photograph astounds me. A bad photograph can affect us just as much as a good photograph. Want to know how? It’s dependent on what its content means to you, how it makes you feel. Photographs can make us feel joy, sorrow, awe, empathy, hope. They can make us see beauty in a broken world. They can inflict mourning in our hearts, as well as celebrations. Photographs make us feel something.