They just aren’t interested.

You see it all the time—parents and kids who share something - golf, music, running, sailing, whatever it might be. A built-in way to spend time together that carries through the years. There was a time when I envisioned sharing photography in that way with my twin sons. From a very young age they asked “can I try?” - and it wasn’t a passing question. They wanted to understand how the camera worked, and I quickly got them intro cameras of their own.

They went out looking for things to photograph, and they had a good eye - artistic even. Some out-of-focus, some downright blurry, but if I’m being honest, a hit rate not much lower than mine now. One signed up for a photography class in middle school - 35 mm film photography. We went out for an assignment and he was laying in the snow to get a low angle shot. A natural! Although he seemed kind of miserable and cold.

Photo by Connor Sullivan

Photo by Connor Sullivan

Photo by Connor Sullivan

Photo by Luke Sullivan

Photo by Luke Sullivan

Photo by Luke Sullivan

So I leaned in. As they got older, I got them them more advanced cameras —more control, more capability. We were on our way, and I just knew their interest in photography would grow. I missed some signals - like when I would tell them I was looking at cameras to get them and they said “yeah, maybe.” Eventually, they stopped bringing cameras - using their phones if they wanted a picture of anything. And gradually it became clear—this wasn’t going to be their thing.

Photo by Connor Sullivan

Photo by Luke Sullivan

And that’s okay. It’s my thing - and I can still incorporate it into our time together. “Can we go take pictures” became “can you come take pictures” - of their sports events, graduations etc. And now, as they move past college and into adult(ish) life - “can you do a head shot for my LinkedIn profile?” Yes I can.