The Process of Grief Through Images
When someone passes, images of them gain new importance. Suddenly you aren’t able to capture new moments. What you have, is it. Searching through hard drives, shoe boxes of images, you hope to find memories, grasping for something to hold onto, to remind you of their smile and the place they held in your life.
I recently lost a loved one. Someone close to me that had been a huge part of my life for over 40 years. I have many images that tell the story of the influence they had on me. I won’t be sharing those images here as it is a personal story. What I can share is that they had a love of San Francisco. For more than 12 years San Francisco was my physical home. I grew up just south of the city and spent more than a fair share of my time there. To say I love this city would be a gross understatement. When someone asks where I am from, San Francisco is the answer.
I went for a walk yesterday to help clear my head. I hoped to ease some of my pain. The problem was that is just intensified it. Sometimes you have to feel the pain in order to get through it. I made some images, things that caught my eye. Photography is how I move through the world. It has always been how I process hard times. It is also how I enjoy the good times. These images will be important to me for one reason, they helped me process my grief.
I use photography to navigate the world and my feelings. My heart goes into my images. The process of holding a camera and making images is more than just that. Without it I would be lost. Without it I would be empty. Without it I would have no meaning. So know that when I post, I post me, the entire me, the true me. Each image has a place in my life, a record of that moment, an expression of what is going on inside my head, my heart. I feel lucky to have images of those closest to me. I know that no matter what happens, I will have that!
Make images of those you love. Capture it all. You never know the importance those images may have in the future.
Until Next Time,
John