The incredible power of one image to active the memory of an event, of a moment in life. The image above to most viewers is a simple one, just a girl on a boat looking at the sun. To most viewers it would seem just that. But for those involved in that moment, it becomes much more. It brings into remembrance the many factors that where involved; the water with its movement, its smell, its color. It brings into remembrance that wonderful moment of seeing the sunrise at 6:30 am with its magnificent light over the water. Of chasing the birds hoping that they are on top of a school of bait fish signifying that there are dolphin or tuna underneath. The sound of the powerboat engines with its propellers cutting into and pushing the water causing the craft to move eastward to open water, towards a place where man becomes lost by the immense ocean. A place where even the largest of vessels fight the currents and waves to arrive at their destinations. The expectation of the moment that will not come back, you can try to replicate it yes of course, but this moment is lost forever into the memory of our minds and into a bit of information store in the hard drive of a laptop.
The fleeting moment as with all of life events can truly never be duplicated, all that we are left with is small souvenirs locked in our memory which requires a catalyst, a key if you will, to bring back all that was involved in that long gone moment. Nothing like a photograph to help in retrieving those precious memories of one’s life. That was my goal in taking this image, to create that bit of information that could be store be it on a computer or as something more tangible be it an album or hanging on a wall. It is not a perfect image technically, of course I know that but that is not the intention. I was not looking for that, I wanted a small button to active my memory of when the future comes and I want to remember my little girl I can look at this image. I will remember the dolphins we found, the smiles, the expressions on our faces, and of course my daughter whispering into my ear with a challenging attitude towards me and the rest of us on the boat “my where the biggest”. All eleven years of her defying us to do better.
Wow that is what this image will bring back and more. It is very personal, but is also what been a photographer is about. Helping others create those catalysts for the future, the buttons, that they will push in the future to bring into life the memories of today.
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