You Can Take A Pretty Picture But You Can't Predict the Weather

We stand at the precipice of a world filled with more uncertainty then ever before. It's for that reason that is so imperative that we capture the peace, warmth and joy within as many beautiful fleeting moments as possible. For once it's gone it many never return. Only to be remembered by the stillness of a stolen glimpse that we locked away in a photo. What an honor that through today's technology we are able to capture any moment in time we deem worth celebrating in the snap or click of a button.

"What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that's gone forever, impossible to reproduce."

-Karl Lagerfeld

What transpired after or took place before that second of shutter froze that moment in time? Well, unless documented in some way, shape or form the world surrounding a single photo is lost. As the memories fade only that single snap in time captured remains to tell whatever story lays within it's details. Isn't that the reason we fill our Instagram, Facebook feed and other social media platforms with pictures? Isn't that why we post them on our blogs and hang them up in our homes? So that we may reminisce in the events that occurred surrounding that moment or try to snatch but a morsel of the emotions that were created during that time and perhaps provoke others to feel it as well by sharing it.

I love how photographer Johanna Siring took it upon herself to take photos of people before and after she surprised them with a kiss! The change from one photo to the next is beautifully unpredictable and only reinforces my belief that the one thing a single photo alone can not capture is the change that occurs from one moment to the next. It certainly can't predict what that next moment will bring, or what the next photo may reveal.

Now, I confess I am in no way a professional when it come to photography and I understand there are those who may disagree with that statement and belief. Frankly, that's quite alright as photography is a form of art and we all know art is subjective (so many different minds, views and perspectives) and that is what makes it so wildly interesting to discus! So if you were to say, take any picture of Chicago from the 1930's and compare it with any picture of Chicago that's been taken today. The current picture clearly depicts the change that has taken place from then till now. To which I would good naturedly argue, you can not see the change in one photo without comparing it to the other. Just like in Johanna Siring's photos, you can not comprehend the difference her kiss made with out the former photo being taken without a kiss.

The idea of visually expressing change over time in a photo is the reason I placed these skies together, as some of you my be thinking, "Hey! That's two photos, not just one." which is an accurate observation. Yet, at the same time those two photos are somewhat one in the same. It is the same morning sky, photographed at the exact same angle right outside my backyard and taken in the same spot only seven minutes apart.While I didn't blow kisses to the sky, a mere seven minutes in time was all the change needed for the same view before me to paint a different scene in front of my lens.

What's the story that these simple clouds in the sky tell? They breeze by with the promise of change. As darker rainy clouds are brushed to the side, you see those same clouds breaking apart as the rising sun melts through the cracks revealing a clearer sky above. A reflection of the times we live in today, cloudy and uncertain with the possibility of rain. Now, I have nothing against the rain. The water falling from the heavens can be cleansing and refreshing to the soul. We all, however, know that sometimes when it rains it pours. And a continual down pour of rain can become disheartening and devastating as water starts to rise. Suddenly there is a flood before your feet and your forced to run for cover, to stay inside.

Yet, with the passing of time lies the hope of a rising sun. Providing so much warmth it shatters the gloom and dismay, it powers the start of a new cycle of life and brings with it a new day. Whether it's a year, seven minutes or a blink of an eye our circumstances will change it is simply a difference in time. That my friend is the story these clouds proclaim as they drift in the sky.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it and it provided some food for thought on a few different levels (inception style)!. If you're happy with the read please share, maybe leave a tip but definitely drop a heart! Below you can find my latest poem, feel free to check it out!