Sometimes you look back at work you've done and it makes you feel good. This photo makes me feel good. And not because it's my photo, but because of the story behind it and how this story grew, and keeps on growing.
I took this photo over two years ago for my Kidding Around collection and exhibition. In the photo is my eldest son and his best friend. When they were five years old they loved to dress up and play super heroes. I loved to see that freedom and thought it would be cool to see it evolve into a juxtaposed setting (at least for five year olds) - Put them in control of some unknown situation down town and frame it to make them look adult size. The thing that I didn't expect is how this photo still resonates with people. Just today a friend told me this is her favourite photo of mine and I had a bigger story that pushed me to get this post up...
During the Kidding Around exhibition at Coffee on the Moon two years ago, I received a phone call from a guy, who we'll call Bill and he wanted to buy a print of this photo. He told me he would get back to me in a few weeks after he came home from working away. I kinda thought "sure, whatever", but he phoned me when he got back and wanted to tell me the reason he was buying the print.
Bill saw the photo on display and it struck him as a fantasy of childhood that he and his brother would have wished to experience. They wanted to be in control. They wanted to be someone else. They wanted to be strong. But they were just kids in a bad situation. Their parents were not good to them. Bill and his brother had a childhood of abuse.
But they made it. They were stronger than should have had to have been.
Bill bought this photo as a birthday gift for his brother as a reminder that they were strong and they survived.
When I tell this story it makes me tear up a bit. Knowing the pain that people go through and the emotion that a photo can bring out. At any rate, I'm just happy to produce photos that every once in a while, get people feeling something or talking.
