The Place Named Coto

Pictures can move me forever

Seven Reasons Why I Love Pictures

During childhood, having a camera is not a necessity, rather a luxury. You can imagine it, I don’t have any baby photos. I don’t blamed it to my parents, we have a happy childhood even there are no photos documenting it. I love photos. When I read a magazine, or a newspaper, I always takes time to ponder on pictures. There are pictures that tell a thousand words. I got my first camera from a friend in California, that was a long time ago, long before I met my husband. Someone borrowed it and he lost it, to my dismay. My second camera was provided by my former boyfriend, now my beloved husband. From Canon Powershot, he also gave me the handy Canon 1200, his gift to me from his working trip in Singapore. Now, the question is: why I love pictures? I am not just a selfie queen, hahahah! As I am typing now, there are seven reasons that are finished and entangled at the tapestry of my mind. 

1. A diary sort of mine. Whether it is my iPhone camera or my digital camera, pictures documenting the things I love. From day to day undertakings to my enjoyment, from my silliness to my seriousness. As time passes by, they always bring me smile. 
2. The sensational feeling. Do you know it? How it feels after catching a scene? A flower budding, a falling leaf, the beauty of sunset, or even just the food in your plate. Then you pause for a moment, and you can whisper to yourself: “Fantastic!”
3. Holding back the years. For more reason, pictures are designated for my memory lane. Special events, holidays, uh I love them all and I wish I can hold them with my hands forever!
4. My learning process is unending. I never went to a photography school. I learned photography by myself. My husband gave me a Photoshop Self Study Book and I learned from it. It is a learning process, as what Dr. Werner Spitz says at The Staircase series, when you look to a certain photo, then you look again on Friday, then Monday, and keep on looking at them, you will see something. Pictures can change your opinion, pictures can open your eyes to see things that you have never seen before.
5. Story telling or photojournalism? Picture is an extension of me, to express myself through my camera. That is why, I am careful what pictures I want to share in social media. It is handy, something is happening, just grab the phone camera, that’s it: instant story.
6. Photography is my close friend. Yes, aside from books, Netflix, and few close real life friends, photography as well is my close friend. Never leave me, my hobby. And pictures gave me too a kind of recognition when my photos had been nominated during a photography contest in our city.
7. Pictures can move me forever. If you will show me a photo that you can consider very moving, what would that be? I have a lots of them. I treasure my photos, in fact, I have more or less 10,000 photos on my file. They inspire me, they move me. When I grow old, I look back at them, and I would be very grateful that I documented my life as well as the life of my loved ones through pictures.