Originally posted by Davidparis Less than a month ago, my dear father passed away. During the sad preparations, we went through and dug up hundreds of pictures for his Celebration of Life ceremony. There were many pix from childhood through adulthood including his older years and then some (that I took) in the days preceding his passing. We were very thankful for those pictures.
It then suddenly occured to me that, when my time comes, as the primary "camera man" in the family for so many decades, I am only rarely in a picture. How and where will my life be recounted through pictures taken through the years?
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To counter any confusion, I generally do not desire to be in the shots and do not even think about it. I'm perfectly non-photogenic and usually hate to see my mug in a picture. But then, some years down the road, who will have taken pictures of Mr. Photographer man's life?
The photographer's dilemma, indeed. I have wondered about this myself from time to time and understand how this emerges for you at this particularly sensitive time. I'm very sorry for your loss. Here are my thoughts:
- You mention that you are "rarely" in photos. That means you're in some. Get them out, print them if they need it, and put them somewhere accessible to your family. Just a few are all that are needed to create a history for your family to remember in photographs.
- Participate now. Let family and friends take pictures with you in them, with their cell phones and whatever else is on hand. This often translates to some wonderful spontaneous moments capturing you enjoying life. Who cares if they're great pictures?
- regarding "selfies": this is a silly word but part of our culture now. Toss it aside and think about making your own portraits as some have already suggested. It isn't vain to photograph oneself. After all, it's a subject we always have with us, and we can be the most patient sitters for ourselves. No complaining! I have a full length photograph of me 40 years ago in college with my old Minolta up to my eye, taking pictures at a bike race. It's one of my favorites and reminds me of when I looked pretty good!
- My tripod is as important to me as my camera. I take it almost everywhere (the lightweight one). It makes it really easy to jump in the photograph and be part of things. Family gatherings and hikes alone. I recently did a shoot at Smith Rock here in Oregon at dawn. I included myself in a couple of shots. Now I have a nice remembrance of how cool it was to be there at 4 a.m. and what it was like for me.
To be clear, I, too, am shy about being photographed. But I see it as part of a larger history. My Facebook page is only for close friends and family and, looking back, it's a bit of a documentary of my life in recent years. I include old photos now and then as well. There are lots of photographs of my family and me, mostly from cell phones (so easy to upload). So, when I fall from that proverbial cliff - or succumb to a less dramatic demise, it'll be pretty easy for everyone to remember how great our life was together.