When I graduated from highschool I was trying to figure out a career path. I remember sitting at a restaurant with my mom and discussing some ideas and talking about how cool it was when I had customers come into the place I was working at who were deaf and I could understand them through some fingerspelling and a few signs I had learned in elementary school. My elementary school in Langley had a program for deaf students and I’m sure anyone who is reading this that went to Uplands still knows a bit of sign. I started thinking about the possibility of becoming an interpreter. I went to VCC and took the Deaf Studies Program there for a year (which was a prerequisite to get into the interpreter program). It was like being in French Immersion but American Sign Language. All of our teachers, except for one, were deaf. It was an amazing experience. I finished the program and, being young and indecisive, decided not to apply for the interpreter program. Instead I enrolled at BCIT for their 2 year Entrepreneurship program (very handy now that I run a business) Until recently I haven’t used sign language except on the random occasion where I run into someone from Elementary school. Once in awhile I still have dreams in sign language. I will be having full conversations only in sign and then I wake up feeling as though I just refreshed my memory of all the vocabulary I once knew. It has been over 10 years since I took that program and my ASL skills are a mere fraction of what they used to be.
Not long ago I was contacted by Kristen to photograph her baby boy. Kristin and I went to elementary together and it was great to get to chat and brush up on my ASL. She then referred me to her friend Ally. Again I was able to use the little bit of ASL that I can remember during her maternity photos and the recent newborn photos we did. I am so happy that the program I took 10 years ago has opened up a door for me to be able to communicate with clients I may not have been able to reach otherwise.
Below are the photos from Ally’s maternity session and one from her newborn session. She chose the most fantastic bright dress for some of the photos. Isn’t she gorgeous? Thank you Ally for tolerating my sloppy ASL!
Such an adorable little boy!
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