At just four years old, my son, Leo, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It’s no surprise that at that moment, everything changed for our family. Our new routine consisted of a complicated medication schedule, lumbar punctures and spinal taps. Our past challenges and troubles seemed trivial to the new ones we were facing.
My husband and I knew, or I should say quickly learned, it would be a long haul. Leukemia treatment for boys, specifically for ALL, is typically around three years with continued count checks and appointments until he reaches adulthood. When his cancer-free date started to approach, as his mother and family documentarian, I knew I wanted to capture the moment in a way that was special to him and all that he faced. He’s one of the bravest people I know and had been through more in his short life than most had in a full one.
The photo:
Our family dock holds a special place in my heart. It’s located at my in-laws on a small, quiet lake. We spend a lot of time there in the summer playing with cousins from sun-up to sun-down. It’s where my boys have learned to fish among many other nostalgic, childhood things. I’ve captured my children playing on this dock over the years many, many times. But this was different and monumental.
We decided it seemed fitting to have him release a Chinese lantern from the dock at sunset. I found some biodegradable ones online for him to release. Leo wrote “Cancer Free” on one of the lanterns. This simple detail is one of my favorite parts of this image because it’s in his own writing. As the sun was setting off to the right, the lake was calm and you can just make out the faintest sky reflection.
The lens:
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART Lens ()
Because of the beautiful colors and reflection, I decided to position myself above him with my Sigma Art 35mm. I wanted the focus to be solely on him, but still capture the beauty of the environment. I find the 35mm to be one of the most versatile lenses, so it’s a lens I have with me at all times. It’s sharp, fast, and works incredibly well in low light, which was crucial for this image as I basically had one chance to get it right.
Everything was so calm and peaceful that evening as he glowed from the lantern he released. It all came together so beautifully. Over the past few years, I’ve documented the struggles and achievements my son has faced. The Sigma Art 35mm has been my go-to for majority of these moments, and I know that years from now Leo is going to treasure these images as much as I do.
