A picture really is worth a thousand words

My camera is always with me, quite literally, through the good times and the bad times.  Like everyone, I photograph my vacations or my family and friends, but I also photograph events that aren’t always so pleasant.  When my son, who has chronic lung disease, contracted the dreaded Swine Flu last October, my camera was with me.  There’s nothing worse than seeing your child, or any loved one for that matter, so critically ill and not being able to make it better.  The only thing I had complete control over was my camera, so through my lens I documented what was occurring.  It helped me tremendously but more importantly, as my son became better it helped him, too.  I let him take pictures which gave him a sense of control.  He took pictures of his nurses and doctors and of the medicine that he had to take; I took pictures of him and tried to use my photography to say for me what I could not put into words.  I didn’t know how people would react to my pictures of that event, but after viewing them a friend’s words said it best for me, you have such a gift for explaining emotion through your photography.  It was then that I realized that was exactly what I was trying to do.

Not all photographs have to be of such a serious event for us to experience the emotion of the moment.  Please share with us those photos of yours that strike a chord of emotion in you.  We’d love to see them.

Comments

[Mel]

I know what you mean, when my daughter was critically ill with septecemea at 6 months old and almost died, I had to take pictures as it was that I could make more sense of the trauma looking at the picture then just sitting there... She thankfully recovered completely but at the time without the little point and shoot I had then, well, I don't quite know how I would have coped. She is 3 now and starts kindergarten today and I will be taking lots of pictures again to make sense of this event which is emotional for completely different reasons.

[Puna]

When I was ill over Christmas, I took my camera to the hospital with me. I knew some people thought it might be strange but I needed to have it there.

I took this intimate photo of my mother watching over my sister who suffers from ALS.
http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2009/11/november-19-a-mothers-vigilance/

[Katrina Kennedy]

A powerful image that documents real life. Thank you for sharing the photo and the important inspiration.

[ELK]

a tender capture...so glad you shared it Chris

i was at a retreat with girl friends...woke early...noticed all the cups in a line....not the greatest photo but captured a quiet moment that brings a flood of happy emotions

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammymom/4268185077/

[Darlene]

So bitter sweet your series of images portray. Thank you for sharing.

Capturing emotion is the backbone of my photography business. Here is just a sampling of some of those moments:

http://www.whimsicalyearsphotography.com/blog/1256/emotions-maine-lifestyle-photographer/

[Kara]

Yes, thank you for sharing. I do find it interesting that you mentioned that you feel control when you have your camera. I have never really thought of that before. I love the concept - it makes me wonder if that is also why I have my camera with me a lot. Besides the fact that it is one of my favorite possessions, it is the one thing I have that produces images that are unique to me, and me alone. I like that idea.

http://ketchupjars.com/2010/01/11/day-11-project-365/

[Sarah]

That is beautiful..made me tear up. This must have been so difficult for you all!! Great idea to let him take shots himself!! The photo speaks volumes and touched me deeply!! Beautiful work!! Sarah

[georgia]

wow. what a photo. it does say so much, especially after reading that this is your son. i can't even imagine what that would be like.

your photo instantly made me think of some photos i took back in november. one of my best friends had to deliver her son almost four months early. when i went to see the little guy in the hospital, i was almost rendered speechless, because i was not prepared for what i would see. but i am so glad i went, and even more importantly, i'm glad i brought my camera to capture the moment. it's the first picture in the post that i like best {which is the one that yours reminded me of}.
http://itsjusthowiseethings.blogspot.com/2009/11/miraculous.html

[Lis]

My very favorite photographs evoke the sentiment by Wordsworth "thoughts that often lie too deep for tears" which your work so beautifully does.

Here is a spread I just posted for the theme of Body;
http://dandelionseedsanddreams.blogspot.com/2010/01/photographic-reflections.html

the second one is one of my favorite shots of my daughter. After her bath, I massage lotion into her skin and I think about the months waiting for her arrival, doing distance reiki and how this gift of simple touch is something that I never will take for granted.

[annie]

Thanks for sharing Chris. I hadn't thought about it before but I had my camera with me during many of the times my little boy Jacob was in the hospital. I am Thankful that I have pictures from his 1st and only birthday spent at CHOC. Although they show him in happy moments I also captures some sad. We didn't know that it was the only birthday he would ever celebrate but it brings me so much comfort to have all 888 pictures of Jake in his short 18 mos. with us. There just never seems to be enough pictures of him. A camera is such a awesome way of capturing so many precious moments and memories!

[brittany]

spent a week in the hospital recently with my (then) three week old. i thought that people would find it odd, me taking his picture in such a difficult situation, but it was a soothing experience for me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/4229019576/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/4233709687/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivyerfamily/4228258549/

[Simon Lawrence]

I've been in a similar situation with my youngest daugther, I respect and admire your courage and ability to use photograph to get your through the difficult times. Respectfully Si x

[Jen]

Thanks so much for sharing about your son.

My son was born 8 weeks premature and I felt so helpless. I tried to take photos of him but it was impossible with the camera knowledge I had at the time. While I was in the NICU with him, waiting for him to feed and grow, I studie my camera manual and soaked in everything I could so that I could share my beautiful son with the outside world.

And this is the exact moment I fell in love with my camera:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/enniferj8/930083683/

[Deanna]

Such a beautiful photo. Thank you for sharing your special moment.
Sometimes, I find that a picture is perfect when my words cannot express my emotions. When I look at these two photos, I'm back in that moment, and I smile.

http://adhocbasis.blogspot.com/2010/01/picture-is-really-worth.html

[jakki]

A very difficult pregnancy and even worse delivery. My niece wanted me to take photo's during her delivery and this one is one of my favorites

http://www.flickr.com/photos/valeenwashington/4231288771/

[elizabeth]

when my son spent 2 weeks in the picu when he was 10 weeks old, my husband wouldnt let me take any photos of him - i really regret that now.

[Jeannette]

Both of my kids got RSV at about 1 month and wnet back in the hospital. Both times I had my camera with me. Even the day we found out my MIL had passed and we went to the funeral parlor to make arrangements. It is very comforting.

[saintseester]

Thank you so much for sharing this story. A couple of years ago, my daughter was in the ER with a broken arm. I did not have my camera with me, but I still wanted to capture her sweet, sad, innocence as she lay there waiting for them to come work on her. Back then, I thought there was something a little bit off about that, but now I realize, as a parent or friend, we all have images, good and bad, captured in our heads, so why not with a camera?

[6512 and growing]

Thank you for sharing these pictures from your son's illness. My son also has chronic lung disease (he was born at 25 weeks). We didn't take a lot of photos of him in the hospital because he was so scrawny and covered with tubes and wires and it felt sort of awful to capture that. But now, five years later, I am so glad we have the photos we do.

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