The above image is a scan of an 11.5 x 8 paper copy. I don’t have the original. For those that aren’t a fan of the San Francisco Giants, that is Buster Posey (Former Catcher) and my Father. The approximate year is 2014. I apologize but I don’t know who the photographer was otherwise i’d give them credit.
I know that this is not a perfect image. That is the point of this post. This is an important image for my family. My Father passed 7 years ago and all we have are our memories. Baseball was a huge part of his life and this image is one that we will cherish forever.
My Stepmother had this image and asked that I digitize it and try to clean it up a bit. I know I could have used AI and other tools but I chose not to. I prefer the imperfections. The subject is more important to me and the quality of the image is secondary.
I believe we spend too much time working toward perfection that we forget why we make images in the first place. Telling a story is the goal as well as to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. This is what I spend my time doing when making images. Thinking through why i’m making an image. Asking myself the significance of the subject or the story i’m trying to tell. We remember the images that are significant to us. Looking back at a lost loved one or reliving an emotional event that happened in our lifetime or the lifetime of those we love. Significant social events, disasters, wars and so much more have significant meaning for us. Images can, almost, make us, or help us, relive that moment.
Focus, composition, depth, all things that can help an image, but the subject will always make or break it. So the next time you pick up your camera, place something in the frame, think about the story you want to tell and how you feel! Help someone else feel the same when they view it. Make it count!
Until Next Time,
John