They Just Have to BE
Some might wonder why I made the post about September 11th. Well, it was two-fold. First, it was a reminder about the 20th anniversary of that horrible and devastating day. But secondly, which was never mentioned in the post, it was also about photography and videography.
Our first glimpse into what happened to the Towers that morning was through the news, which the majority of us watched on television. That was thanks to the journalists and videographers that were digitally filming the events that were unfolding. And then, too, were the digital photos from journalists but also from others with digital cameras. And probably the most recognized photo is of the Falling Man captured by Associated Press photographer Richard Drew. Other people also jumped from the towers that day and many were captured on video.
But, there were also many private citizens that captured the events digitally, on film, or on video. They recognized the importance of capturing these events for posterity, for history, for remembrance of how our lives changed forever that day. The images those people took that day are just as important as the photos taken when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated and when his brother John F. Kennedy, our President, was also assassinated. They tell a story – a story we can never forget, just as the films of the bomb being dropped on Hiroshima, and all the films we have seen of WWI, WWII, Viet Nam, Desert Storm, and the many wars in the Middle East. The stories that did change our lives forever.
Many of us will never be so “lucky” to capture tragedy, as if we really want to be there to do so, but now with the increasing quality of photos and videos on our phones, we can be there.
And so, my post on September 11th was fitting even though there was no mention of photography of any kind. Photography is our way of preserving history, whether we capture major events or just the events and people in our lives. Photography, whether by amateurs or professionals, is important Don’t throw away or delete your photos. Save them. Print them. Put them in albums for future generations to see. They don’t have to be award winning. They just have to BE.
Posted in Perspectives, Reflections, View Point by Jason with no comments yet.
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