sometimes you just need a little kick in the pants

This morning, my dear, dear friend Christine posted a link to this blog entry, and it kind of put back into focus why it is I am so passionate about photography. I don't ever discount teh value of taking pictures, even though I hate getting mine taken. Someone, sometime, will want to remember you (and me) and they will remember and love you exactly as you are, whether you ever lose those last 5 (or 50) pounds or manage to cover up that zit on your nose.

True story: I have this set of pictures of my Daddy that I snapped in my backyard. It's early summer and I have JUST gotten my very first digital SLR, and the sun is going down so there's this intense yellow light everywhere. He's wearing his fishing hat (oh, how my stepmom hated that hat!) in some, showing off his new stubble growing back from his annual headshave to support cancer research in the others. He's grinning at me.

Those were the last pictures I got to take of my father alive. He liked to take pictures, too, of any and everything. After he died, my sister and I took copies of the multitude of images he had on his computer as well as an ancient photo album containing pictures of us as little girls. Looking through his pictures let me see a whole other part of him, about what he cherished, found interesting, or found funny enough to take a picture of. I imagine my Daddy enjoyed looking at those pictures of his friends and family, of his daughters, as much as I enjoy looking at pictures of my own friends and family and especially of my own children.

Pictures are worth far more than 1000 words.

Thanks for the reminder, Christine.

Comments

Such a heartbreaking story!
Thank you for the reminder Hope (and Christine)and thank you so much for taking pictures of the boys WITH me last month (even though I shuddered at the thought) No more excuses!
kate said…
Oh my those photos are sweet! Quite a story. A little warning might have been nice, or at the very least, a note to make sure there is a box of tissues handy while looking at Christine's blog entry. Very touching and hits close to home. A nice kick in the pants!

xo

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