Today’s Post by Joe Farace
From Mary and I, we want to wish you the merriest of Christmas and the happiest of New Year’s…
Each year on Christmas day I’ve published a letter that I received several year ago from a reader who was concerned about how the events of 9/11 would affect her personal photography. I think what she has to say—and my reply—are just as important today. I’m sharing my response to that reader with you that you may draw some hope and maybe inspiration on how to approach your own photography during 2025.
What she wrote: I love photography and have traveled the world taking pictures but since 9-11, I just feel there is no future in taking pictures anymore. I cannot travel the world as an American without concern for my safety and I personally feel in the not-so-far future we will all be living in caves once again with all systems gone, therefore, once my camera became inoperable, I just did not bother to have it repaired or to purchase a new one. Sorry, but maybe others are in the same mindset. Thanks for listening, Patricia
Here’s my reply
Dear Patricia,
Thank you for sharing your concerns. We all experienced a sense of profound loss on September 11th but I remain optimistic about the future and here’s why: I was just a baby on December 7, 1941 but I’m sure that tragedy aroused similar feelings in many people in our country, including photographers. Our nation struggled on after that day to discover a cure for polio—a crippling scourge that was a plague when I was young—land on the moon and continue to aim for the stars. There are ongoing tragedies, including humankind’s seeming intolerance of one another’s political and religious beliefs, and the latest mass shooting that never seem far out of the headlines even at this time of year.
Instead, think about of these things, think about this: What did early humans do when they did live in caves? These people decorated the walls of their caves with art creating images of their world using the tools they had at hand. The tools we have on hand are silver and silicone and we can use them to change the world one person at a time or as I like to say “one pixel at a time.”
Why not volunteer your camera at a homeless or battered woman’s shelter to make pictures of their kids. Go to retirement homes and make portraits of senior citizens they can share with their family and friends. Document farmers at work harvesting, fireman washing their trucks, or a UPS delivery person bringing packages to their customers. Build a website, blog, or use the countless photo sharing sites out there to celebrate the goodness in the world and not the evil, not the terror.
The most precious Christmas gift that anybody can give to another is a portrait of the people they love. Photograph your kids; make portraits of your mom, dad, or grandparents while they are still with us so these images can be shared with future generations. Have your own portrait made and give it to a loved one; they will cherish it, believe me. And never, ever forget that photography is a universal language and use it to make friends for all humankind.
Yes, Patricia, there is life after September 11th. There are fifty states of people bursting with life and all of them hoping for a better future for their children and grandchildren. Photograph them to celebrate all that is good about the world.
Hopeful for the future,
Joe