what photos mean to me

I have spent the last week scrapbooking in my spare time, smiling at old photos from my senior year of high school and remembering all of the little moments shared with those dear high school friends. Thinking about those times and those friends fills me with such gratitude, and I am so happy to have photos to not only bring me back in time but to remind me of how much I have experienced and accomplished in life.

A while ago, I wrote a poem (if that is what you would call it) describing why photos mean so much to me. This week, looking at my photos, I was reminded of it. There are several really great quotes you can find online about photography and photos in general, but I would like to take a moment to share my perspective on photography. Please know that this effect photographs have on me is something I wish on all of you as well. It's great thing to be able to look back at a photo when you're lost, realize what you have accomplished, and be reminded of who you are.

I AM MORE

What I really love about photography, I think more than anything, is how it can help someone find themself. Everyone knows that a picture can tell a person’s story, and everyone knows that a picture can bring someone back to a happier time, but a photo can do so much more than just those two things. Pictures are powerful. Not only can they tell the world who you are, but they can remind you of who you are. When the world is raging past you and you seem to be stuck in the rapids, hitting rock after rock, not sure of where you’re going, what you’re doing, where you want to be, or how you want to get there, your pictures can offer some pretty great insight.  People tell me all of the time, “You take so many pictures. Why do you take so many pictures?” I take so many pictures, because pictures capture moments. I take so many pictures, because I love looking back on a time when I was happy. Yes, a lot of pictures can be misleading and make a moment seem happier than it actually was, but even these pictures can remind a person of what it is in life that makes him smile. I take so many pictures, because when you’re stuck in a work situation that makes the world look bleak and grey, it is important to remember the beauty in things. I take so many pictures, because today, my screensaver slideshow kicked on, and my thoughts were clear for a good few minutes.  You see, my pictures can keep me in check. They remind me of how much I have accomplished in life from graduating college to working at Walt Disney World. They tell me how great the people in my life are. My pictures remind me of who I am and of what I have. My pictures boldly state that I am more than this segment of my life. I am someone who puts trust in the world. I am someone who trusts until proven that I shouldn’t, someone who believes people are inherently good, and that the world will catch you so long as you treat the world well. I do not place blame on others, but I admit my mistakes and take responsibility. I do not choose to find someone’s negative qualities, but I easily notice what makes them beautiful. My pictures remind me of all of these things.

They also remind me that I will go places one day, both in my career and in my leisure time. They show me all of the places I want to travel to and all of the things I aspire to achieve. My pictures remind me that there is always beauty in this world. They tell me what I stand for and what I love: determination, love, honesty, art, and family. My pictures tell me that I am someone who puts my faith in God, someone who believes her life is destined to be a great one, and someone who knows that with a little prayer, love, and faith, my dreams can come true. My pictures find me when I lose myself, and for this reason, I will never put my camera down. 

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Magnolia blossoms in Owosso, Michigan