Mom, Thanksgiving 2010
Inside_man
I know. You’re looking at this photograph and wondering what it’s doing on the Front Page. You’re asking yourself ‘Is this art?’. And maybe it’s not. Art is a pretty subjective thing—but maybe you’re right. It doesn’t matter. This is better than art. This is love.
Look at this woman. She probably doesn’t really want to have her photograph taken. But her son has his camera out and wants to take the photo, so she’s standing there uncomfortably in that empty parking lot with maternal patience and if she’s not giving him her best and most natural smile, she’s still smiling. And why is she doing it? Love.
And the photographer. He knows this isn’t going to be the best photograph he’s ever shot of his mother. It’s probably not even the best photograph of his mother he’s shot on that very day. He knows this isn’t the best time or the best place or the best light. But that doesn’t really matter. She’s his mom and he wants her photograph. Why? Love.
So that’s why this photograph is on the Front Page. We can show you art anytime. We don’t often get the chance to show you love. Simple, unadulterated, modest and unpretentious love. But here it is, standing in an empty parking lot, smiling at us.
Blog photograph copyrighted to the photographer and used with permission by utata.org. All photographs used on utata.org are stored on flickr.com and are obtained via the flickr API. Text is copyrighted to the author, greg fallis and is used with permission by utata.org. Please see Show and Share Your Work
