Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Power of Images

Photo by: Ron/ Accra, Ghana
Current Location: Midland, Michigan, USA / 43°37′25.0″N 84°13′45.7″W

There was a time in my life when I actually clung to a routine. Lunch at noon, dinner at six. Months would pass, and before you know it, two years had gone by. Not knowing where my life was headed, I fell into a groove, inching ever so close to being non existent within my circle of friends. By the time I was twenty two, my life evolved around television. I had a job, a salary. I was being paid to write, shoot, edit, and produce tv content for millions to watch. The more television I made, the more I wanted to keep making it--from used car commercials to daily news coverage, there was nothing I wouldn't shoot.

It wasn't until my first trip overseas that I started to appreciate the power of photography and moving images. The way it can tell a story, convey emotions, and transcribe our world unlike any other medium available, caught me in rapture. Upon my return to Canada, I realized the power of my abilities--a super power, much like that of Dr. King Jr or Gandhi, just not in the same realms.

You see, within a simple sequence of sounds and images, I can make you laugh, cry, feel emotions beyond your pallet of symptoms, and at the same time, change the way you think. The way you live. And the way you see the world. That's the power of media. You may not want to admit it, but believe me, it's true. Think about it. Think of how much the media effects your life.

That's why, when I'm with the camera, I can feel the air hum. Neutrons and protons collide about, never ending. I can feel them move through me. No barriers between light and magic, just one frame after another. It's a feeling I can't describe. And like all photographers, I don't think it ever will be--you'll just have to see it in our images.

To all who capture life through a lens, cheers!

UPDATE:
I'm Currently awaiting a new assignment. Should know by tomorrow where my travels will take me next. Stay tuned.

3 comments:

Dan said...

LOVE this photo, Ron. Great shot.

DUTA said...

You're right , of course, about the power of photography.

This adorable child doesn't seem intimidated by the camera. He's got a confident look and smile on his face.

Ron said...

I was walking around a craft market in the capital city, when out of no where this little boy starts peaking through the art work and looking directly at me. We played Peek-a-boo for a while and I snapped a few shots of him and his beautiful smile. Right place, right time, right smile!