No shutter...only hands...

This last week has been long. I had been yearning to get to Joplin and do anything I could to get my hands dirty and my hat sweaty. I had things going on all week and I didn't think I would get to make a trip down there this week. But sometimes when you don't expect it God opens...I ran through it.

Enter Wednesday...I was supposed to have a family shoot the next day and thought maybe I could go down early and help until noon. I mean I was taking my little girl to the lady that had been keeping her before I was laid off. I CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I get a message...it was about the shoot...sick kids :( they need to move the date. While this is not a good thing...the result of what I can now do is.

Thursday, I find myself just past Mt. Vernon, MO heading towards Joplin thinking of what this day may bring. I've seen the pictures heard the reports, but nothing could prepare me. I think what if it was me...what if my girl now had nothing...no toys...her stuffed animals...her "best friends" what if she didn't have me..or me have her...her mommy...my wife. Needless to say tears filled my eyes with the first thought running through my head. I can help...help pick up peoples "lives" their belongings scattered across the land. I can unload the multitude of donations coming in. I can take supplies out to those already in the 6 mile "footprint." But what if I was not "allowed" in...There are shelters where families are "living" places they are calling 'home" if I can't do all that I will go there.

My little one just turned 3. She can mentally wear me out sometimes and I still have my home. I can't even think of all the added stress and trying to deal with her loss as well...nothing to play with...and even nobody to play with. These younger kids not even fully aware of what has happened. Bright eyed...huge smile...no cares. If I can't get in to "ground zero" this is what I will do. Rest mommy...rest daddy...you may not know me, but I am here to help. I can't bring back your house...I can't bring back what or who may have been lost. But I WILL bring a smile to your children's face. You do what you need to do, I will be here and I will stay here until you come back. We will be here to greet you with a hug...a smile...an embrace to try and help with what you face.

As a parent you know the feeling when you see the smile and laughter comes from that little one you love. So if you can't get in to help physically...here is also my thoughts spilled out for you to think over.

Exit 8 into Joplin...a right turn I make...I stop by The Bridge and a helping hand they take. Unloading cars and trucks the come down the drive. Things from here and there all to help something that was lost. It was amazing the out pour of love that was cast upon the Ozarks. Here in our back yard. Seeming like it was only the people of the US helping give back. Funny how something happens across the world and here we are to help out...but when it's us in facing the heartache we stand here on our own. We are the best country on the Earth. We have our troops fighting to keep us free...but something else we have...LOVE...love that shines through...those who have been given lots, give back. Those who have little, give back. Those who have nothing, give back. We have our differences...we have things that make us mad. But when a time comes to help those who have lost it all...we drop it all and come together as one. Not divided by the accents...not torn apart by religion...not looking at the color, but looking at the heart within. American flags blowing in the wind in Joplin...TRUE Americans coming to help those in need.

We don't sit around and wait for others to help us...we never have...as American's...we just go get things done.

A Short Meeting...

It was a small and tasty coffee shop, overcast, and cold for a May day. I had to make a short walk down the street from my parking spot and thought the they may already have beat me there.

I saw through a glass window a face I had met before and when I saw those eyes looking back I saw her face light up. (Great Feeling) The excitement had to be written on my face as much as it was for both of them. All three of were all smiles so we got right to it. Wedding album design...check. Laughing...check. Different styles of print paper...check. Fun...check.

Coffee? Yes please!! We only had an hour since the coffee shop was going to close early. I got my camera out and shot a few pictures. It was natural...the shooting...the love...all of it...natural. After a couple of min we sat down and drank our coffee and talked a bit more about the plans of the wedding and what all we had planned for that day. The getting ready...the first glance...the limo...the wedding party fun...the "foto booth."

All warmed up on the coffee we stepped outside to brave the chill and take a couple more shots. They had already had engagement pictures done, so this was more of a chance for them to get in front of lens and see how I shoot. It was quick, maybe 5-7 minutes between both of the times we took pictures and they were pros at it!!

Coats on...walk to the car...plan for August!

A Non-Picture Post

With all the news stirring about the picture proof it makes you start to think. This isn't what you think it will be. Not about I need to see a picture...not a I want a trophy...not a celebration of a death. All those points are mute compared to a big picture. (no pun intended)

So what could this possibly be? Our digital age...how fast does our media move? I can do a shoot and edit in the field and post a picture from the shoot all within a matter on minutes. I can post a picture here in Missouri and someone across the globe can see it. Heck, I can see a picture from Saturday morning in Japan while it is still light out here in Missouri on Friday!? But what does this have to do with a a single picture from a Navy SEAL raid?

The power of a photo...the meaning behind a photo...the meaning behind any photo. It captures a moment in time and invokes many different emotions, depending on the person who is viewing. The doubters are crying for proof...the ones wounded by this man are wanting to see justification, but what about the ones who loved him? One picture many different emotions. Power of an art form?

Photography has changed vastly since the ages of a dark room being the only way to have a print to paper. We don't even need a paper print in some cases...digital frames. A small little file compressed into a .jpg .raw .dng...what does it hold? Pixels by the millions? Art? Emotion? Power? I say yes! From the first few hours of a newborns life to the flitting breaths in death...it can now all be captured and shown to the world with in minutes...seconds. And all evoke some sort of emotion.

The one who snaps is carrying more than just a little emotion. You have trusted this person to emotionally move you. 1/8000 of a second holds little meaning in a 24 hours day, but in the mirror slapping world of photography it can make you laugh or cry and even both.

It's not about needing a picture to prove power.

But as a photographer it's about the power of a picture we need to prove.