A life worth photographing
What's the oldest photograph you own? Do you know the story behind it?
Not long ago, most of your ancestors lived without proof of their existence. Having, if anything, a few keepsakes, letters or written memories of what they did or even just a name and a date on their birth certificate and tombstone.
Their lives passed without a record of how they aged or their children growing up. Their lives may have been remarkable or not. Still, unless they were immortalised in history for some reason, we will never know apart from what we heard from the accounts of our direct relatives.
Think about someone living 200 years ago. Not a powerful family with money to commission portraits around the home.
They would age, occasionally seeing their reflection in a mirror. Still, they had very few physical ways of remembering their lives, the lives of their loved ones, or those who came before them. Some didn't even know how to write or read, and they could not send letters or write their thoughts somewhere.
We now treasure the few images of our family members from over 100 years ago.
I always think about the occasion of having a picture taken those days—the special day, choosing the clothes, going to the hairdresser, and then coming back home with a photograph that will stay with the family for generations.
Since 1827, when Niépce took a picture of his back garden, why is capturing images still so relevant?
For once, it's like travelling back in time for a few moments. Not just observing historical moments or other people's lives but also your life.
Photography holds our memories and, most importantly, our feelings. It helps us remember what we did, with whom, and how we did it.
Your life and worldviews are shaped by this series of events and experiences; these photographs help you remember why you think or feel the way you do.
Sometimes, I find a picture of a snippet of my life I had forgotten, and I feel grateful to have been able to record it or discover photographs of family members who have passed. Not all memories will be good or positive, but that is, again, part of life and who we are.
Indeed, photographs can also bring nostalgia for a lost past, images of people who are no longer with us, pictures about things we no longer have, and places we no longer live in.
We can revisit our mistakes and successes and relive moments long gone by simply observing a picture, which is a miraculous little thing nowadays taken for granted.
However, we take more photographs than ever in history, so... do we take too many pictures?
Think about what you did on June 28th, 2019. Some of you may remember, and most of you don't. If you don't have a picture to remember that day, this is a day in your life that has gone forever, like it never existed. Think about all the days, weeks, and months you can't recall; think about the gaps between memories…
Does it mean you should document every day of your life from now on? No matter what? Not necessarily; it means we should aim to make more days of our lives memorable.
Live a life worth remembering, a life worth documenting first. A life worth retelling with as many unique moments and extraordinary experiences as possible.
And then, of course, immortalise those moments with photographs and perhaps journaling.
Photography will soon be 200 years old, and today is more used and relevant than ever. And it continues to evolve and be controversial and embracing new technologies…
Next time you have the opportunity to capture a moment and reach out to your pocket or bag, remember that many who came before you didn't have the possibility. So, treasure the opportunity to perpetuate a moment in time with a click.
