Down Through the Years

Yesterday, I took some time to look back at my old work.  I admired some portraits and cringed at others.  I can remember thinking, “wow, what a great shot!” and then editing the shot to oblivion.  I used to think that those I was photographing wanted me to make them look absolutely perfect.  I used to think that bags under the eyes, wrinkles, and blemishes were all imperfections that I was to remove through editing.  I then looked at pictures I took and edited of an artist and her family.  I remember her asking me not to edit out all the blemishes, but to leave them.  I could not believe it!  Who wants to remember the blemishes? But her request changed how I process what I see.  I realized the blemishes may not be totally desired, but excessively altering the art of what is uniquely natural creates a synthetic imitation.  And why would anyone accept a replica when they can have the real thing?  I desire to help people remember how they looked, felt, and experienced the world at the time of the photograph.  It’s not always about creating perfection, but about preserving the memory.