I think it is fantastic that the prompt for the 12th of February is #Good_Times. Today marks fourteen years since my father passed away and while I have had a sadness in my heart thinking of how much I miss him, what he left me with are physical memories of good times and a heritage of photography knowledge. I sat for a few minutes today and looked at old slides. What magical little windows back in time. Our summers clearly revolved around water, either at the beach in The Outer Banks or on our boat, The Buckeye Lady. No wonder I am so at home by the sea. (That is little me up in the corner of that shot and on our boat with my mom in the shot below.)
Although the actual images he took of our family are treasures, it is the passion for photography which keeps his spirit alive. I think of him when I pick up my camera. I see his legacy in my kids and my nieces as they photograph their worlds. That is something that will live forever and continue through our family for ages to come. The love of photography will be an invisible string binding me to generations I may not ever meet just as it ties my father to my children. This is one of the founding principles that led me to create littleSIDEKLICK and I thank my dad for what I hope will be a lasting gift you can share with your own families.
While sifting through some of the slides, I found an image that I took of my dad in 1989. It would have been just at the early stages (maybe just four years into it) of my photography journey. I don’t remember the day, but I know all the elements by heart…There is my dad in a classic outfit on one of the black iron patio chairs set out in the lawn right in front of the twin trees we had. Thank you dad, for trusting me to take your picture. Thank you for not saying, “No, I don’t like photos of myself.” I see nothing but love here, fourteen years after you have gone.
This is why I never say “No” to Gemma when she wants to take a photo of me. She forgives my bad hair days because I am her mother and that is why I am beautiful to her.
I popped the Galaxy camera on macro mode and propped some slides up against the frosted window in the guest room to take a few shots. Good times, indeed.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Beautiful! You have just inspired me to photograph my parent’s slides in the same way – thank you!
I can see the family resemblance between the boy in black in your family shot and your own children!
Beautiful. I see Gemma in your brother in the black top and Clover in you as a little girl on the beach. Lovely memories for you in those slides. Lovely gift from your Dad.
Looking at you, I noticed how much Gemma looks like you! Good pictures, Rachel!
I agree with Millie, the one in the family photo looks like Gemma. If Gemma was around in the 1970s of course. And thank you. This pulled at my heart strings, but in a good way
Thanks for sharing this. The hope that I can take and share pictures that will be meaningful to someone more than a year from now is what inspires me to grab a camera at all of family events
This is so beautiful. Your father left you real treasures! I will let the children take pictures of me even on my worst days.
I wasn’t so lucky because my parents never really took pictures, they relied on a friend to do it and when he got married and moved away the picture taking stopped. I have pictures of me until I was 4 then few here and there mostly I am the picture taker.
I’ve been using the same technique with old slides. Faster than scanning and better quality too.