The Portrait

 

I have come to believe that photographs OF loved ones are ABOUT them, but are rarely FOR them.  I came to this realization when looking through past portraits of my mother and father who both passed away recently.  I’m guessing they rarely ever looked back at those photos during their lifetime, but I personally am grateful that they had them created.   Portraits from their wedding, High School Sr. pictures, mom’s “Queen of” and dad’s military portraits…all standing in defense of any impression one may or may not have had of them - for better or worse.

 

Though one portrait may never reflect the whole truth about its subject, it does capture a moment - a season of time - and preserves it forever.  

 

I admit I tend to look at my loved ones’ portraits with my heightened-sense-of-romance glasses on and it is my truth that frames them in that moment. I think that is what every master artist has always intended… that the meaning assigned to their artwork be as varied as the number of eyes who behold it.  Otherwise, he or she would have told us what to think when gazing upon their work.  

 

It’s true that portraits don’t sum one up…but they do give the world a glimpse of one whom existed during a moment of time… who may not exist tomorrow, next year, or even ever again. 

 

If you will give me a few moments of your time, I hope to give you a glimpse of the you you may have yet to meet.

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Mark Wangerin