Monday, November 19, 2012

PHOTOS-TO CRINGE OR NOT TO CRINGE



It's that wonderful time of year.  Family gatherings, parties, and someone always snapping pictures.

I cringe at having my picture taken, especially now that so many photos get posted on Facebook, blogs, etc.  It seems like I'm always doing something ugly when candid photos are snapped.  Hair weird, mouth open, eyes closed, sitting like a guy, eating, face tucked in, triple chins billowing, bent over.  You name it.  Even if the picture is expected and I'm posing, it takes several shots to get what I consider a half way good shot.  I am fat and middle-aged (if I live to be well past 100) and usually when I see the posed-for picture, or especially a candid  shot, it is like a bucket of cold water in the the face. Reality, is not always pretty. 

It's bad enough that's how I will look frozen in time forever, or as long as the photo exists, but it's possible with our technology that hundreds and hundreds of people, that I don't even know will see the picture.  I suppose that it is a good thing that they don't know me, nor I them.  But wait a minute.  What if I avoided all attempts of anyone taking pictures of me?

It dawned on me after seeing some particularly unflattering pics of myself that had been posted on Facebook, that these are images that my kids, grandkid(s), and others on down through time will remember me by. YIKESWhat will they be thinking? How fat I was, I was always talking, what was with that hair?   However, I believe and hope, that other things will be in their mind.  They will be remembering their own favorite fun times with me and the occasion of the photo.  Hopefully, they will see smiles and laughter and how much I loved them.  Maybe they will remember how it felt when I hugged them. I hope they remember good times and most of all love.

This all came to mind when I found the treasured picture shown at the beginning of this post.  That is my Grandma and Sister.  They are both gone now.   From her clothing, it looks like sitting in the edge of the creek must have been a spur of the moment decision. My Grandma was a down-to-earth woman.  She was the best cook I ever knew. She outworked everyone, cooking on a wood stove, gardening, making butter. She was not a fashion plate.   But look at how happy my sister is to be with her.  See the look of pure joy on Grandma's face.  When the picture was taken, Grandma was living in the moment.  Feeling the joy.  That moment is still present, so many years later, every time I look at this picture.  Can't you just feel that cold creek water and the slippery rocks at their feet?  I now know how she felt as her grandchild beamed love at her.  I remember how my sister and I loved Grandma. Everyone did.

For now, I have decided to quit worrying about how I look in pics. I hope maybe someone will capture, for all time, a picture of me living in the moment and loving it. 

6 comments:

  1. Susie
    I love these photp. Para mi el valor de las fotos antiguas tiene un gran valor. Ya que los recuerdos no se borran. Yo lo pondría en un portarretratos. Great post!!!!

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  2. What a GREAT photo...wonder who took it...were they standing in the water....so many qu4estions pop up when I see wonderful pictures like this one. So full of life and fun.

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  3. My mom took this picture. She may well have been standing out in the creek. I know that she wrote the caption. Ooo that's cold - was written with shivers. Mom was a prolific picture taker. I plan on sharing more of her pics in the future. There are some cute ones from the 1940's. This pic was taken right before WW2. My mom would now be 102 if she was still here.

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  4. I feel like I never have a good picture, so I understand. That is why my pic is me at 4 with my Grandma!

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  5. Gosh Susie so many of us really do not like our photo taken, but in recent times I have come to embrace being in photos and after I'm gone then I hope when my loved ones look at photos with me in them all they remember was the event, the occasion, and most importantly the feelings that bubble forth for the photo observer. There may be different feelings evoked for different viewers and hopefully that in itself will lead to animated and happy and wonderful discussions.

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  6. Those who love you will think of nothing but that fact as they reflect on what you meant to them, how you enriched their lives, and all the marvelous memories they have of your time together. We all have photos of ourselves that we don't like (myself included for sure!), but ultimately what matters the most is that those photos were captured. We preserved a moment in time forever and are able to share it both today and for generations to come.

    Thank you very much for your wonderfully nice comment on my tartan outfit post, I sincerely appreciate it. I firmly believe that anyone can wear vintage, vintage reproduction and/or vintage appropriate clothes, no matter their body type. There are options out there for all shapes and sizes, and if a person is really having a tricky time unearthing such pieces for their body type, the option of bespoke reproduction is always a fabulous one, too (there are a number of etsy vintage repro sellers, for example, who specialize in just this area). If you think I can ever be of help to you when it comes to wearing vintage, please don't hesitate to let me know.

    ♥ Jessica

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