Life goes by in the blink of an eye, which isn’t new information. Our lives blur with the passing of time, and once moments pass, we are left with the imprints of memories. Even so, it can be hard to remember the small details that can change an entire picture. Whether that is the smile of a loved one, or the pajamas worn on Christmas morning, the details can be lost. I think that is why people value photos and videos so much in today’s world. We need to document the moments before they vanish, in fear of forgetting.
“As I go back and talk to my friends from college I’m finding there are segments that I have seemed to have purged because some of the things were less important to me than others,” yearbook teacher Stacy Wildman said.
The expression “a photo is worth a thousand words” is commonly said. The true meaning of that can be highlighted with the heartbreak of a passing loved one. When an event as such happens, people often turn towards photos and videos to recall the things they loved about someone and reminisce on the memories they left behind. The pictures and videos not only keep their memory alive, but they also can reveal details one didn’t know before.
“When my grandmother died, several years ago, we went through some boxes and we were able to piece together parts of her life before she was with my grandfather… and she modeled,” Wildman said. “ I didn’t know that and now I have these really cool pictures from the 30’s and 40’s of my grandmother modeling, and I had no idea.”
While forgetting someone’s face differs depending on the person, an individual’s characteristics inevitably begin to fade, and it is harder to recall certain things.
“When my grandparents died it [was] hard to remember their faces and how they were, but looking at photos helps me remember,” senior Charlee Davis said.
Photographs also allow for personal expression through the documentation of things people find interesting. It provides people the opportunity to share parts of their lives others may not see on a day-to-day basis. The desire for aesthetics comes to many differently and creates an opportunity for individuality.
“I don’t want the photos to look fake and look like I’m trying to make it aesthetic, but if I see something that I think is cute and will match my Instagram, then yeah I would definitely post it,” senior Kayleigh Metz said.
People value photographs and videos because it allows for time to stand still. It captures moments one can’t get back and creates history. The desire to capture moments increases depending on each season of life. Exciting moments are fleeting, and times like senior year are one of these examples.
“I am definitely more intentional with it because this is a time in my life where I’m going to look back on it and I want to remember all the good things about it,” Davis said about her senior year.
Not only is photography and videography used to capture moments, it also provides a creative outlet and a business venture for some people. Junior Brandon Bodden takes photos and videos for many high school athletes and plans to continue his small business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I saw a bunch of professionals doing it and it looked really cool,” Bodden said. “I wanted to make cool stuff myself, the thought of making cool stuff for other people was my motivation.”
Every time someone clicks a button on their phone, they create history. Historians used to be limited to learning about something through paintings and maps, but with the new generation, documentation has become easier. People look back on the past through visualization instead of someone else’s recollection or artistic style.
“I wish I printed more of them now,” Wildman said. “I like to go back and go through an album, a tangible album, it’s nice.
Now people are able to pass down their memories and their photos. Photo albums reveal timelines different from our own. They allow for bonding and discovery of things that could have been left in the past. People should capture the moments they want to remember as much as they can because once memory fades, all that’s left is the photos someone takes.
“They go hand in hand,” Davis said. “I feel like memories and photos are a keepsake, you always want to keep them, you can always keep a photo, you can always keep a memory.”
