Photographs documenting family events and milestones have been a time-honored tradition.  Baby photos, First Communion Photos, Little League photos prom and high school graduation photos illustrate a youths rite-of-passage to becoming an adult.  Wedding photos and baby photos complete a cycle.  Many photographers have documented family life with such style and verve that those images are elevated to fine art:  Sally Mann, Nicholas Nixon, Joanne Leonard, Emit Gowan and others are examples of photographers that document family life that succeeds at several levels.  Fine art photographers have documented family tragedies such as a loved one succumbing to Cancer or AIDS.  Photographs made of this are powerful documents to the spirit of the subject to share their life with the next generation perhaps not having the privilege to have met them.