My great-grandfather was a marvelous horse trainer. I’ve heard stories about him since I was a little kid. They were always told in a tone that hinted at magic and adventure, and made me wish that I could have met him. I recently acquired a small, rawhide whip that belonged to my great-grandfather. When I hold it I feel like it somehow connects me to him, like it transcends time. I can hold it in my hand and know that he once held it in his. Most of the objects we bestow our affections on do this for us; they connect us to others and preserve memories. I believe photography does this for. In-fact the past year has made me believe this to the point of a it becoming a conviction.
Last summer, I was preparing to photograph a wedding in Oklahoma. The bride was a super fun girl who was very passionate about photos. We had long talks on photography. She had so many ideas and was excited to talk about different things that she loved to see in pictures. While was telling me how important the wedding photos were to her, and said, “Those [the photos] are our memories.”
I already fully believed that I was documenting moments in people’s lives, but I never really thought about it as specifically “memories”. That is exactly what photos capture. After many years have passed and our memories become a little more fuzzy or we forget a few things, we can look back at photos and have help remember that time. They are like the spark for the flame.
Another experience I had recently made me feel the value of photography. My mother-in-law lost her fight against cancer last July. She was an absolutely amazing and unique woman, and in the short time that I knew her, she touched my heart deeply. For her memorial service, we went through boxes of photos searching for the perfect pictures to remember her life. As we searched through the photos, I was continually struck by how powerful those images were. Simple things like a photo of her and my father-in-law sitting on the steps the porch drinking a cup of coffee, skiing with their boys, or celebrating holidays, normal everyday life events– memories.
And here we were rifling through a box of these memories. Through those photos, I was able to share in a past that I didn’t experience myself. I can see clearly in my mind’s eye a photo of my mother-in-law as a senior in High School. She was so beautiful and young– full of strength and life. Photos of marriages, babies, birthdays, pets were all there in those humble card board boxes. When we got done sorting photos and creating a display for her, I felt that we had been able to share those memories with others. Those boxes weren’t just filled with photos they were filled with loved-ones, events, and emotions. As we sorted through them I was incredibly thankful for every on of those photos.
Memories are powerful and precious. Photos are just the reflection of light on a piece of paper, but the reflection is of memories, and that makes them incredibly powerful too!
Because I believe this with all my heart, I want to host a give away that highlights the power of photography. So share your favorite family photo (instructions bellow) and one person will win a free 14MP Nikon Coolpix Camera to capture their memories.
Here’s how:
1: Go to my facebook page
2: Click the “like” button
3: Upload your favorite (NON PROFESSIONAL) family photo onto my facebook page’s
wall. The image quality of the photo will not be judged (if you have to take a photo of the
photo with your phone to upload it, GO FOR IT!) PHOTOS MUST BE UPLOADED BY
NEXT WEDNESDAY (FEB 29TH)!!!
4: Send your friend’s to vote on your photo- They vote by “liking” the page and then
“liking” your photo. The photo with the most “likes” on March 7th the win’s the camera!
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE:
My personal favorite will win a Free Family Photo Session from a.dot.in.time*
AND
The lovely staff at Starbucks 82nd and Quaker will choose their favorite photo to win a $10 Starbucks Gift Card.
Much Love (and good luck},
Megan Rieff
*The session is a standard portrait session ($200 value) for up to 5 people. Session must be booked by April 1 and must take place before June 15th 2012. Prints are not included. The session is available in Lubbock, Tx only.
