The Power of A Moment
“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” -Karl Lagerfeld
I glanced across the field and saw her grandmother lovingly holding onto Haylei as they were standing face to face on Haylei's wedding day. Her grandmother was looking into Haylei's eyes with great wisdom and adoring love. I quietly ran over to where they were embracing and stood in front of them careful not to interrupt such a moment. They didn't even notice me. I put my camera up to my eye and with a click, the moment was gone.
The next day I began editing the images captured on that golden sunlit evening just before dusk and came across the image of Haylei and her nanny. I enlarged the photo and immediately began to smile. I decided to convert the image to black and white because I didn't want my focus to be on the color in the image but on the women, and the moment. I closed my eyes waiting for the transformation to take place and when I opened them, my eyes filled with tears and my throat had a lump. The details emerged. I saw Nanny's cotton tucked softly in her ears as it peeked through her sheer scarf tied to perfection. And on her wrist rested a plastic coil with important keys that were too valuable to leave in her purse- one may lose them in there. Texture. I saw the texture of Haylei's delicate sleeve on her wedding dress and the texture of Nanny's quilted fall jacket. I saw the smooth, glowing skin of a young woman and the aged and wrinkled of the old. I'm not sure what Haylei's grandmother was saying to her but whatever words, I felt them. The look in her eyes and the sweet, tender smile on her face told all of their private conversation.
With the sound of a click, less than one second of time, a moment was captured that could never be reproduced again. A timeless moment that can be relived forever... It was for moments like Haylei's that I decided to open my photography business. I want to capture moments for people that they cannot capture for themselves.
The biggest challenges I face today in my business are continual advertising and equipment costs. Having the opportunity to receive the mentorship and $25,000 from Wells Fargo will provide the necessary means to take my business to the next level.My biggest achievements to date are when my clients see the photographs of their session or event and send me words like these: "JAMIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM ABSOLUTELY IN AWE… I am tearing up.. this is EXACTLY what I wanted…. I could not have asked for more perfect pictures… I am stunned!" -T'Neil"Jamie, You are unbelievable! I am a skeptic to trying things like this by any conservative measure, but the work you do is incredible. Totally beyond merely professional. You are going to be famous. I am really glad Amy asked you to do it. Words cannot express how great of a job I think you did. Thank you so much." -Terry"Jamie, I am in absolute love already! You have an amazing talent!" -Melissa
Please go vote for my essay and help me win the Wells Fargo Works contest and $25,000 to take my photography business to the next level. Contest ends June 30, 2014. Contest is won by your votes! Go to www.wellsfargoworks.com/project or the direct link
https://wellsfargoworks.com/project?x=us-en_viewentriesandvote_500_4
Once you're on the website, click "View Entries and Vote." Scroll down until you see my photograph (the photograph above) and click "VOTE FOR THIS" or click the direct link above. Thank you! -Jamie
No comments:
Post a Comment