Since I have been photographing for seven of the seventeen years of my life, my collection of photos is immense. Portraits, landscapes, action shots, nature shots. The variety of styles and types of photography I have experimented with is easily seen through one look at my cluttered Google Drive. But throughout all these photos, one has stuck in my memory since the moment I took it in 2010.
My family took a road trip to Summerville, South Carolina for mainly two reasons. One being my dad was very sick and a year had passed since his doctors suggested that he go on hospice. This meant that his doctors thought he had a very limited amount of time left to live. As a ten-year-old, I wasn't aware of this or the emotional weight of the situation. I simply thought we were going on a trip to see our old family friends -- which we were. But, the trip was triggered by my father's decline in health. My parents longed to spend quality time with our cherished family friends; this ended up being the last time we all spent together.
This sole photo, my favorite photo from the trip -- and my favorite photo of all time -- rests at the end of this page. Taken in 2010 by eleven-year-old me with my new, first DSLR camera. I was an amateur who didn't know what an f/stop was or what white balance meant. Despite my lack of technical photography skills, I adore this photo. But to the average viewer this photo, without context, probably seems like a simple, mediocre portrait.
But I don't see that. I see my dad before he got terribly sick. I see his honest smile. I see his gray beard and tired face. I see the cane that he used to support his deteriorating body, resting on his chest. I see the light colored sand, reminding me that this is at the beautiful Folly Beach in South Carolina. I see our friend, Lisa, flashing a peace sign into the frame of the shot. He went through such pain, sickness, and discomfort in his final years that he did not in the least bit deserve but this photo doesn't show those feelings. It only displays his happiness and appreciation for life.
It's a new photo. The story behind this single photo breathes life and power into it. It's not just a portrait of a middle-aged man resting on the beach. It's my sick father enjoying his final year of life, surrounded by his family and friends. Breathing in the salty air of the Atlantic Ocean and being at peace.This is what makes photography so immensely powerful. It's not just the photo. It's the photo and the story rolled into one piece. This photo carries a story, emotions, and experiences.
Even though it is hard for me now as an experienced photographer to look past the technical flaws of this photograph, the meaning and emotional power that it has makes up for any photographic flaw. I can see past it, see my father, and remember how much I love and miss his presence in my life.
