Many times have I been asked to look back on my family’s past with snapshots my family has taken over the years. Our memories of the events can change, but the moment the camera captured cannot. In a moment, the camera captured everything that was happening. It cannot lie. Snapshots seem to be one of the ultimate truths. The whole point of taking a snapshot is to document a moment of significance to the family; however, in the digital age things are not as black and white as they used to be. The line of truth is more easily blurred. With the dawn of tools that can so drastically change a photograph the question remains what is the truth?
I wanted to change the ultimate truth that is the snapshot and create my own personal fake history. Even though I changed the context of the photo how true was the photo to begin with? You might see happy smiling faces but underneath those faces maybe someone feels like crying. We can’t know. We only can see the surface of a photo not all the layers that went into making that moment. In that sense the camera shows the ultimate lie. Everyone shows happy smiling faces but how many more emotions are underneath the smiles?
I wanted to change the ultimate truth that is the snapshot and create my own personal fake history. Even though I changed the context of the photo how true was the photo to begin with? You might see happy smiling faces but underneath those faces maybe someone feels like crying. We can’t know. We only can see the surface of a photo not all the layers that went into making that moment. In that sense the camera shows the ultimate lie. Everyone shows happy smiling faces but how many more emotions are underneath the smiles?
Summer I met my sweetie.
Sister on the pier holding on tight. She's afraid of the water.
Cousin hoping to catch someone's eye.
My sweetie the day before he leaves for training.
"To my sweetie on the front, think of me always."
My sweetie home on leave. He took me on a romantic boat ride.
My sweetie on the deck of his ship
Toasting to our coming marriage with Father and Brother.
I'm a new proud momma
My Mom and Aunt after helping me with all the new baby's laundry.
My brother smoking a pipe in honor of the new baby.
Sister on the day before her wedding with Dad and her husband to be.
Sister with her new baby.
My favorite uncle on the hottest day of the summer.
Cousins on the hottest day of the summer trying to cool off.
Uncle getting his daily newspaper.
Waiting for our ride to the reunion.
Aunt and Uncle waiting for the repairman on the way to the reunion.
The kids after the eight hour drive to the reunion.
At the family reunion. My husband doesn't seem to like my cooking.
Cousin climbing a mountain at the family reunion.
Auntie showing off her new hat.
Mom and Dad and our little one with the doll they gave her for her birthday.
