Here are the 5 photos of dad I submitted to "Open Image 2015". They chose the second shot with the beams of venetian blinds light on dads face. This photograph was made in the final days of dads life, he saw the picture before he died, as I had made up a 11x14 shot of it and showed him it. I said before handing it to him " I like the eye in this photo" dad said "What eye?" I showed him and he said something like "Oh yeah!" I think the photo was made about 4 or 5 days before dad died and I showed it to him about 2 days before he passed. Dad was lucid up to his last day, his eyes got a little bigger and he had stopped eating at the end but his mind was still very clear.
Sometimes when you make an extra effort it comes back and rewards you with a good photograph. I came in that day while dad was in his hospital bed with only 10 minutes or less before I had to rush to work. I helped mom do something for dad and I was out of time. Just then thou I saw mom playing with the venetian blinds and the way the light fell on dads face. I ran out to the car, got my 35mm Leica and made the photograph before kissing dad on the forehead and running off to work. I was a few minutes late for work that night and I am never late, I hate being late with a passion but I knew even then it was worth it. I knew the extra effort I made had resulted in an important photography. Now that photograph will hang not only in Rosebud Alberta but also in the Northern and Southern Jubilee Auditoriums. Now dad can live on through this work. Who knows maybe someday that photograph will be collected and hang in an important museum.
Dad would also be happy that I am getting paid to show his photograph, it is like another $135 gift from my father. I will have to go down to his grave soon with the bike and tell him what happened.
Dad would also be happy that I am getting paid to show his photograph, it is like another $135 gift from my father. I will have to go down to his grave soon with the bike and tell him what happened.
