The Hardest Photo I've Ever Taken

The Hardest Photo I’ve Ever Taken

Not every photo is easy to take. Some moments ask more of you than you expect, and they stay with you long after you press the shutter.

As a photographer, I spend most of my days capturing joy — smiles, laughter, love, new beginnings. But once in a while, I’m invited into a moment that is both joyful and unbearably tender at the same time.

One of those moments came during a wedding I’ll never forget.

The bride’s name was Emily, and from the moment I met her, I could tell she was the kind of person who felt things deeply. When we first sat down to talk about her wedding day, she mentioned that her grandfather was in poor health. She said quietly, “He’s really hoping he can be there. But… we just don’t know.”

I promised her that no matter what, we’d make sure he was part of the story.

On the morning of her wedding, as I arrived at the venue and began photographing the bridal details and her getting ready with her bridesmaids, Emily pulled me aside. Her eyes were bright, but there was worry there too.

“They brought him from hospice this morning,” she whispered. “He’s here, but he’s weak. He probably won’t be able to stay long.”

I reassured her that we’d make the most of whatever time we had.

A little while later, her grandfather arrived. He was in a wheelchair, wearing a neatly pressed suit and a soft cap. He looked frail, but his eyes lit up when he saw Emily in her gown.

She gasped when she saw him and immediately crossed the room to kneel beside him. She clasped his hand with both of hers and held it tightly. He was unable to speak, but gazed at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

That was the first moment I raised my camera.

I watched through the lens as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. She rested her head on his shoulder for a long, quiet moment, and he closed his eyes as if he were savoring it — as if he were trying to memorize her. Standing at a distance, his wife, Emily’s dad, and other family members wept as they watched the moving scene.

I circled them from a slight distance and kept shooting quietly, staying out of the way, knowing that every frame mattered.

Afterward, we wheeled him to the ceremony site for a few family portraits. Emily stood next to him, still holding his hand, and I could see how hard she was trying to stay present — to soak up every second she had with him.

We took a handful of photos of them together. Just the two of them. Then with her parents, with her new husband, with the rest of the family. A few with her grandfather’s son and Emily’s cousin.

Between each shot, Emily would glance down at him, checking to see how he was holding up. He kept strong for her, though I could see the exhaustion settling into his face.

Once the ceremony began, he stayed just long enough to watch her walk down the aisle. His eyes were misty as she passed by.

I made sure to turn my lens toward him during the vows — even though all eyes were on the bride and groom — and caught the sweet way his wife rested her hand on his shoulder as they watched their dear Emily marry her one true love.

Immediately after the ceremony, he was wheeled out of the venue. And just like that, he was gone.

That was the hardest photo I’ve ever taken.

Not because of the lighting or the composition — those things were easy enough. But because of what it meant.

It’s not often you stand behind a camera knowing, with certainty, that you’re capturing the last photo someone will ever take with someone they love.

And in that moment — watching Emily kneel beside her grandfather and press her cheek to his — I felt the weight of that trust settle on me like a stone.

It stayed with me for days afterward.

Even now, years later, I still think about her. About him. About the quiet strength it must have taken for him to get dressed and come to her wedding knowing he wouldn’t stay long. About the courage it took for her to ask me to capture it all even though it hurt.

That day taught me so much.

It reminded me that my job isn’t just to take pretty pictures. My job is to see people. To honor their stories, even when they’re bittersweet. To preserve the moments they can’t bear to let go of.

It changed the way I photograph everything — even the happiest celebrations — because now I always look for those quiet in-between moments. The way someone reaches for another’s hand. The way a father glances at his daughter when she’s not looking. The way someone’s eyes fill with tears and they turn away, thinking no one will notice.

Those are the moments that matter most.

We often shy away from documenting the hard parts of life because we’re afraid they’ll be too heavy, too vulnerable, too much.

But the truth is, those moments are the ones that shape us.

And having a photo to hold in your hands — one that reminds you of the love you felt even in the hardest chapter — can be a kind of healing.

I’ll never forget that photo of Emily and her grandfather. Her in her wedding gown, him in his suit and cap, their foreheads pressed together as she whispered something only he could hear. That photo reminds me why I do this. Not just for the milestones and celebrations, but for the stories that deserve to be seen — even when they’re hard.

So if you’ve ever wondered if it’s worth documenting your story, even if it feels messy or bittersweet, I want you to know: it is. You don’t have to wait for perfect. You don’t have to hide your emotions. You don’t have to know how to pose or what to say. You just have to show up.

I’ll take care of the rest.

And if you’ve ever had a photo that helped you through a hard time — one that reminded you of love even in the middle of loss — I’d love to hear your story.

Because those are the stories that matter.

And I’d be honored to help you tell yours.

XO,

Merry

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Want to peep some of my recent engagement sessions? Check out Chloe & Ethan’s gorgeous lakeside engagement at Lake Jacomo, or Megan & Josh’s energetic engagement at Sporting KC!