::presence::
…i love visiting ohio…my dad’s family hails from this fine area of the county and unfortunately i have not gotten a chance to go back for almost 4 years now… there are a great many memories of holidays and summers spent with my grandparents and cousins (there are 23 of us!!)… my grandpa was rarely ever seen without his camera capturing his surroundings, whether it be a flower that intrigued him or the sight of his grandkids playing at the park… i would like to credit him with my interest in photography… i love how he was so at peace with his canon hanging around his neck as if he were a part of nature… i thought to myself: what would be a great way to spend your life…doing what you love, what gives you peace, what brings you happiness… he made such in impact in my life that my two cameras are respectively named after him: Henry & Butch…. my grandfather passed away in 1992… writing that out brings both sadness and joy to my heart, sadness, because i can’t believe that he has been gone for so long, but joy to know that i will one day again see his face and we can spend eternity together taking photographs…. he was such a strong presence in our family, he was our pillar from which we drew our love and faith from…. i recently ran across some photos that i had taken the last time i was in ohio, visiting family, these were taken out at my grandpa’s house…where my grandma continues to live… i love this series of photos, as i feel his presence in them, as if he is still on his property watching lovingly over his wife… there is just something special about being able to experience the emotions of someone you love so deeply in a photograph without actually see a “picture of the person”…
