May 21, 2008 Photographs

PHOTOGRAPH: To photograph is to confer importance. (quote from Susan Sontag)

One morning this week I was on my breezeway and noticed the most wonderful rain drops on the lily of the valley leaves. I quickly ran inside to get my camera...I did not want these beautiful rain drops on a cloudless sunny day to evaporate before I had them preserved.
Later the same day it looked to find a quote about nature, rain, leaves...a quote that would capture the essence of the photos I had taken that morning...instead I found a quote about photographs which to me is a wonderful definition of the word photograph as well as the reason to photograph.

I started thinking about all the photographs I have and have taken...and people's reaction when you want to take their picture...and all the wonderful pictures I have of family and friends, many several generations old. The photos I have bring a warm and loving feeling to me, confirm part of who I am and where I have come from, the blessings in my life...

I have several friends who usually refuse to have their picture taken...One friend was adamant, and I had to do some real debating to get her to relent...I wanted some photos of her with her first granddaughter (who was going to be leaving to live in China)...I felt it important that her daughter and granddaughter have pictures of them together at the start of her granddaughters life...my friend relented, and the moments were preserved - rightful importance was conferred.

Some photos we have printed, some on the computer, and some photos we keep in our heart... but all the photos we keep are of special people, places, trips and moments in our lives and the lives of those dear to us...This year on my birthday morning, several photos were taken of me with Georgia and Winnie...photos with no make-up and "bed-hair" on my part...but you know, it didn't matter...Georgia had such a fun time waking me up...it was my first birthday where Georgia understood what was going on, and my first birthday with Winnie. I wanted it all preserved...who cared how I looked, it was the moment that was being captured...it was not a staged photo shoot!

The photos taken on my birthday morning conferred importance on the occasion...the importance of love, joy, laughter, and family in my life...the importance of living in the moment..."capturing the rain drops, which fall on the lily of the valley leaves".

PHOTOGRAPH - confer importance on the moments on your life...I bet there is something in today worth capturing and preserving...even with your "minds-eye camera"...