Well – after a much needed break from blogging this past week, I wanted to get on with post #4 of the series. The waters have calmed a bit – but I am so grateful for all the people that have seen the positive light that came from the original post/letter.
This was a candid shot sent in by one of the people that read my blog. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
At first I was just going to post photos that people did – as a result of reading the letter; but, I found it was actually used in many different ways other than just taking more images. One way that really stuck out in my mind was a photography instructor that used the letter to present to students – to get their opinion. I have asked to share the link to their blog and Bruce was kind enough to respond – allowing me to link back. I just really think the perspectives that are coming from these students are fresh, direct and honest above all else. Keeping an open mind & using what we see/find to learn is an amazing way to grow and become better people. What I liked best is the question Bruce posed by stating “After reading it, what are your thoughts and feelings? Should this photographer have published this, or kept it to herself? Why?” – To me personally – the most important question was the last he posed… WHY? When we feel something – it is so important to be able to explain “why” you are feeling a certain way – no matter what your reaction may be.
You can link directly to their post by clicking this link:
Coeur d’Alene High School
For today’s post– We are going to tae a short break from looking at the work of the advanced photography students work. Every once in a while I come across a true gem on the interwebs about photography and the importance of it. THIS is one of them. Photography is more than paper. Read through this letter that this photographer received. After reading it, what are your thoughts and feelings? Should this photographer have published this, or kept it to herself? Why?
75 Responses to “Finish copyright, Test Friday on it”
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m!cHae7 $chMidT says:
This is extremely deep. I do believe photography is a lot more than just a piece of paper. The memories and the feelings people feel are extraordinary behind every picture. It is a very sad letter but I glad I had a chance to read it. I am also glad it was published so people will think twice about getting their picture taken. Photography captures a moment in history where it can never be repeated. Its a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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;0hn (0nr*y says:
It is probably a good idea for her not to publish this letter. It is kind of private and if she decides that is is, then it shouldn’t be shown. This made me feel sad and touched about what an influence this photographer has been.
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2@cH 05m@n5ki says:
I think that it was the right choice for the photographer to publish this and share it with public. Pictures do last a life time and one thing that I hope to leave behind to my children and rest of my family is a lot of great memories. I think that by posting this letter she has made people realize what they should value in their life and to not take anything for granted because it could end at any second.
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aLy_N*a3gl3 says:
I believe that the choice of the photographer to publish and post this letter was a good decision. The women that wrote it even said to pass it along to anyone who cancelled their session so she obviously didn’t want to keep it only between her and the photographer. Now the words that she has written can be a valuable lesson to everyone, even her kids one day when they are old enough to understand large concepts, can look at this letter as a reminder to not value materialistic things and rather enjoy what truly matters. This was a very inspiring and touching story and I am really glad that it was chosen to be shared with everyone.
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S@_@nth@ Sh@f3r says:
This letter is very touching. I felt very sorry for the lady who gave her the letter and I couldn’t help but think about how many times I have spent money on pointless, unnecessary things. I think it was good that she shared this letter because it gives people an example of how being selfish can really take its toll. It also shows how fast things can change and how your life could be over in the blink of an eye.
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C@!+1!n Mu11@1y says:
I think this was a very sad story. The fact that this lady is dying and leaving behind two little kids is really sad. It also makes me realize that I need to cherish every moment and picture now because you never know what will happen. It’s good to have things to remember your loved ones because they won’t be around for ever. I think it’s okay that she shared this, because it will touch other people like it touched her. I don’t think there is anything in this story that that lady wouldn’t want other people to read, so I think it was harmless.
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M@rk N(tte1m@n says:
This made me sad that the lady was dying from cancer. I am glad the photographer shared it because it makes me think of what I am doing with my life and what we take for granted. I am glad she did not just save it for people who cancel photo sessions with her.
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Z@ch Bai13y says:
I think that the woman should’ve gone with the pictures instead of buying all those things. All the things she bought would only last for so long, but the pictures last for a lifetime. I think that the photographer should’ve posted this, because if there’s anyone who feels like canceling a photo shoot so they can spend money on other things, then this could change their mind. It could show them that the pictures would last longer, and would be worth all the money they would pay for it.
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k@ss!dy C@rls0n says:
Im glad she decided to share this letter, it will also get more customers, and respect. It also shows on how important her photos were, it could mean just as much to somebody else. It was very sad but touching. It makes me feel bad for wasting money on unneeded things without appreciation. That letter proves that a photograph isn’t just a simple piece of paper, its more then that, its a memory.
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K!o*urt^ney McF.a11 says:
That letter was very inspiring. You may not realize what you have or what how little of things can mean to you until it comes down to never having them again. A picture can mean a thousand words. She realizes that passing a family photo down to her family after leaving them will mean so much to not just her but her family as well. Certain things in life a lot of people take for granted. This showed me that photos are priceless and are a memory to have forever. I think it was right for her to post this rather than keeping it to herself to share with others the meaning of photos.
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K311en H@nN0n says:
Wow that letter was brutal, it’s amazing the things we can take for granted when there’s stuff like this going on around the world. She’s going to be leaving her family and friends with regrets and no pictures for the memories. That would be terrible. I think that he was right to release this to the public because she gave him permission to send it out to people anyway and I’m sure she would be fine with it.
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$@r@ W@1k3r says:
That is such a touching and amazing story. I think this is such a sad story, it just makes you think of all the stuff we take for granted on a everyday life. I think it was a for the photographer to published this. It sure touched my heart. If that photographer didn’t publish this, nobody would actually know what happened to her. But it is not about the money, it is about the family, shelter, and friends, and about the memories you make!
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k@telyn_j0hns0n says:
This was pretty sad. I think it was a good idea that you published this. I was touch by this letter as well as other people. It makes you think of things we take for granted. It was very touching.
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J@C0B_B3HM says:
It was so sad that this women has cancer. It really makes you think about how life can be so unpredictable and changes at an instant. We just take life for granted when we should be enjoying and capturing every moment of it. It also makes me realize that people spend a lot of money on things that they could get for a lot cheaper such as haircuts and expensive dinners and not on the things that people actually treasure such as photographs. I think it is good that the photographer published it because it is good that people read this and it really makes people think.
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R8chl_jston6 says:
After reading it, what are your thoughts and feelings? Should this photographer have published this, or kept it to herself? Why?
After reading this, I am sad. I don’t think the photographer should have published this, because what that lady wrote was very personal and you can tell it was hard for her to write. I think family photographs can be nice to save and show your children and grandchildren, but memories are more important than pictures. I think you should cherish memories and pictures are nice too but memories are something that belong only to you, and they are free. Pictures let you remember the way someone looks, but memories let you remember their personality. -
BARRI B0CKMAN says:
that is extremely sad and reminds me of my grandmother. I loved my grandmother a lot yet i only met her a couple times a year. she was a heart felt women who care for everyone but her slef no matter what they had done. i made a lot of memories with my grnad mother all though we didnt take many photos some people dont understand the pain and sorrow that comes from losing a friend or family member but i do. i have lost many of them. i wish i had the opprotunity to take photos with them for that one more memory. this is a tear jerker for me and i hope every one else. death is hard for evveryone even if you do not know the person who died very well or even at all for that matter. i think its great that you send this to the people that cancel on you because life goes fast and you need to make memories. you need to live life to the fullest no matter how crappy it is.
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Dy!!@n B@rn3s says:
This is a really sad story to hear about… It is kinda hard what to think about to comment on something like this. I think that it shows like a lot of courage out of her to send this letter to the photographer and express what is going on in her life. Especially because from my point of view she does not barely even know the photographer very well so it must have been hard for her to open up so much to her. I think that this just really shows the “butterfly effect” in action. Because now she is regretting the fact that she did not get the pictures done and instead she went and got some girl stuff done. I do not think that she should really regret it because she did not know any better or that she had cancer at the time. And i think she should just look at it in a pocitive way that she got all that done and just enjoy what little time she has left.
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Jo3h says:
This was a very touching letter. Its sad to talk about these things out in open to the public for everyone to see the pain that they had in the family. I’m glad that the photographer put this story up for everyone to see to show that little things in life matter.
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R@(h3l (h@ff33 says:
THis is a really sad letter, there are things that i don’t see coming and it hits me like a semi-truck. I can relate to that story because thats just like how my Grandma left us. Its sad and heart breaking but life does happen and you need to look at life every way possible.
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R0m@n Kl@n9 says:
This is a sad story but i personally thought the story about the dying father was sadder. The moral of the story is to not waist your money on things that do not last. Instead spend your money on things that your family will remember forever. Very sad story.
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Ja5on m0rris says:
After i read this i must say i felt very sad. It made me think of all the people i have known that have died and i wish i had more photographs and memories of them. Although i do not think that the photos were needed. I think if she wanted to leave behind memories of herself then she could have just taken pictures with her family and had it be much more personal. But i feel bad she did not get to have it done even though she wanted to afterwords. I think the photographer should have published this just so others could read it and think about it.
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$@m !_EE says:
I would be devastated to receive this letter. I would feel so empty to know the extreme regret that this lady felt for not having the photo shoot. I think the blogger was right in publishing this letter. It serves as a great lesson to everyone who reads it that we should think more on the long-term results of the decisions we make today. The temporary pleasures we enjoy now will be of no benefit to anyone but ourselves, so we need to focus on what will be of the greatest benefit to those we love in the future.
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L3V! M^RT3NS says:
what are your thoughts and feelings? Should this photographer have published this, or kept it to herself? Why?
I think you don’t need photos to make and keep memories. If you think you absolutely think you need photos then buy a camera because it is a lot cheaper. I think if she published it she would be seen as good but bad. The bad is that people might think that it is a form of advertisement . The good is that she is a nice person. If it was me I would publish it and show it to the world. My main goal would be to find the family some how.
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*@b !g@!1—$+e 3D* says:
I think that it is fine for her to publish the letter if she doesn’t put the ladies name on it and makes sure it is anonymous. This shows that pictures are really meaningful and say a lot more than just what is in the photo. Something very big had to happen to this woman before she notice not to take things for granted. She can teach others a valuable lesson.
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43!_1 p@_^ says:
That is really sad. Especially when she has kids. I think it was good that she published it. Whenever you have a professional photo shoot or take any picture for that matter, if comes with a memory. Those memories would have been so much more easier to forget with the picture. Even though the pictures seem expensive at the time, they are worth the memories. They pay themselves off very quickly. I’m glad she shared this, because it showed many many people how much pictures are worth.
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Jeanine Thurston 
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