Observations/Reflections

September 25, 2010

Today I’m working on narrowing down the photographs I have made to see where the project is. It is a heavy weight knowing my responsibility is to show these ladies truthfully and raw in a sense, while at the same time showing them in a respectful way they would appreciate seeing. Some of the images are hard for me to look at, particularly of Margaret, because she is older and is struggling with things in her life. Her house is very empty and sad to look at. I wonder how she would feel about seeing the images I’m making of her life. Both Margaret and JoAnn are very okay with being photographed, and Margaret gives off a sense of being proud that I have chosen to photograph her. She loves it. Marie is the only one who rarely lets me photograph her because she doesn’t feel properly dressed or “made up”. I worry about their reactions to the project because I do love and respect them and I don’t want them to feel ugly or embarrassed by how they look. I think they are all beautiful- with beautiful hearts- and I want people to see that through this project.

Another observation I have made about the project is as a whole it is equal parts about the photographs and about the process- the time spent with these ladies. I have learned several things from each of them in a reasonably short amount of time. My relationship with each of them has blossomed, and I look up to and respect them very much.

Margaret, Marie, and JoAnn are very independent in different ways, while at the same time being dependent on one another and on God to strengthen them and keep them going. Margaret is at a crossroads in her life where she wants to be very independent, but with her recent health issues she needs Marie and JoAnn to lean on, and to check up on her. She needs security and help from them while still maintaining a sense of independence in her life. Marie and JoAnn live together so they have each other for support every day. Marie is very motherly to JoAnn, but JoAnn is still very independent and constantly pursuing new projects, broadening her education and traveling. She always has to be doing something productive. Marie is more laid back and content with being around the house, but she is very supportive of everything JoAnn does, and often travels with her. Although they are in different stages of life, they deal with similar issues- issues everyone deals with- including staying healthy, happy, and alive. Some people look at aging negatively in the sense that life is almost over once a person reaches a certain age. JoAnn, Marie, and Margaret look at life differently. They don’t wait for life to end; they engage life as they move through it. If I take only one thing away from spending time with JoAnn, Marie, and Margaret it is that your life can begin again and again as you age- you can continue living, loving and learning until the day you die.