* Family Adoption Storytelling through Photography

 

 Proud parents: My father James and mother Candace on Long Island, NY at my grandmother's house upon my arrival from South Korea. One of the few times my father allowed me in a dress. After this, it was OshKosh overalls and Lacoste polo shirts. My parents were younger than I am now when I was adopted. I think I still have my little hair clip.

Adoption is near and dear to my heart as my brother and I (not biological), are both adopted from South Korea. Documenting the "birth" of an adoptive family is unique and allows much of the public to witness it, unlike a biological birth, which is understandably more bodily private. Often times, for an international adoption that takes place in an airport, people don't realize they are witnessing such an amazing moment and just think a family is being united or visiting from out of town. It is absolutely still private, but that immediate access by others is special. This is one of the many reasons why I have cherished every adoption I have witnessed and love hearing from families who have adopted.

I have always said adoption would be in my life's career somehow, it is something I am dedicated to and believe in, and I have finally realized how I can make that happen through my photography.

I want to document adoptions for families. To create the story of the big day through my love for adoption and photographic storytelling. To capture special moments full of emotion that I know all too well, first hand. To provide photographs as heirloom keepsakes in a family album or framed images for the wall of that family's home. I may eventually incorporate audio/multimedia into the stories. Similar to a wedding day, an adoption day is a marked event in so many ways I can't even begin to list here or else I'd exceed my characters quota! My blog and website will have expanded thoughts and perspective on this.

Please contact me directly at whitney@whitneyjfox.com, if you are interested in learning more about this (myself and where I'm coming from as well) or know someone or a family who might be. My personal and photographic experience and knowledge is with international adoptions for two-parent and single-parent families, but I welcome same-sex, interracial, or anyone to contact me

Adopting Love:  I was accepted into the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies for photography and knew I wanted to shoot a story on adoption.  While this story is told slightly differently than the way I want to tell adoption stories now (and I'd like to think my photography has grown and evolved), I think it still shows one thing that won't change -- family is important, and family is love, no matter how that family is created.

To help me tell other families adoption stories, I'll be revisiting my own adoption and my brother's, talking to my parents and family to learn what is important to them both emotionally and photographically.  I want my visual record documenting any family's adoption to be looked upon one year, five years, thirty-five years down the road of that child's life, so they know what it was like the day they arrived home to their family.  Stay tuned as this project evolves.

Many thanks, I look forward to hearing from you!
Kindly,
Whit