My mother, Shelby Williamson passed away suddenly last September and I lost a close friend to cancer in the last couple of months. In both cases, I found some comfort in my photography.

The community had a Celebration of Life gathering for my mother and needed photos of her for the guests to view. I had those images. And as I went through them, looking for the ones they wanted, I was reminded of some good times with her and my family.

When my friend Dave Arnold passed away recently, I was again asked for some images of him for different organizations in which he participated. As with my mom, I had the images and had the same fond remembrances as I went through all of my images of him searching for the correct ones. I found myself smiling as I did so.

I had the images because I took them. I made the effort to carry the camera, pull it out, and take the picture when the time was right.

By doing so and making sure that I took creative, technically correct images, I had good shots of my loved ones.

That is the role we play as photographers.  It is our job and responsibility to make the effort to capture the moments and keep them for ourselves and others.

We are the keepers of memories.

Afghan Girl by Steve McCurry

If you want evidence  showing the power of photography, you don’t have to look much farther than Steve McCurry’s Afghan Girl.

Taken in a refuge camp in Pakistan in December of 1984 and published on the cover of the June 1985 National Geographic magazine it is probably one of the world’s most famous portraits. I don’t think there is an adult who is not aware of the image.

In my mind, it is one of the most powerful images of modern photography. Tell the truth, when you look at the image, doesn’t it grab you and pull you in It makes you ask who is she, what is her story, and what happened to her. It is an image that makes you come back and view again and again. I never get tired of looking at it and it always sparks pangs of emotion of some sort.

This is the type of image that I aspire to recreate in my photography. I don’t think it needs to be a portrait to evoke these kinds of feelings and emotions. I think you can capture the same power that McCurry captured in his image in almost any type of image. Landscapes, wildlife, weddings, or even still life.

A powerful image will capture the viewers attention and I think that is the goal of every passionate photographer. I know it is mine.

On a side note: McCurry went back to Afghan in 2002 to find out what happened to the girl. He found her and you can read her story at National Geographic – A Life Revealed and see the images at A Life Revealed – Photo Gallery.

While he suffers from Parkinson Syndrome, he is strong and still mentally sharp. Ok, he has his days when he can’t always communicate real well, but he is always mentally there. Just like he has always been for me.

He is my hero.

Happy Birthday Dad.