A Thousand Words... [ARTICLE]

LJK in Baltimore, MD (February 2004)
photo by David G. Pugh

Pictures

by Larry J. Knight, Jr.

Pictures can communicate a number of things. Some present the emotions that are acquainted with despair and heartache, whereas others present peace, solitude, and introspection.

There is an axiom that says quite simply that ‘the eyes are the windows to the soul’. While there is some truth to that venerable saying, one must truly reflect upon the words, for as we seek to glimpse into the very essence of humankind, that thing that inspires us, propels us to do great things, we must continue to ask the questions that when answered will bring us closer to a true understand of the things that makes us...human.

For a very long time now I have sought out the beautiful places and things that exist in this world. Tried to find those comfortable niches where I could truly gaze upon the beauty of humanity. And as I sought those things and places, I have always felt that capturing them with the camera is the closest possible way that I could preserve their beauty. Sure, words may achieve the same thing, but photographs have the ability to communicate within the clarity of the image itself.

When one takes a glance at a picture, that thing which replicates what exists in the physical world, he or she is often glancing at the very essence of the human soul. And whether the image is in black and white or color, there is always a pronounced conduit that leads the viewer directly into the image’s content.

For example, on my coffee table, lies a book of photographs from Afghanistan that have been amassed over the past 50 years. On its cover is a poignant, though unnerving, image of an older Afghani man sitting at a table having tea with a young girl whom one could only assume was his daughter, while an AK-47 assault rifle lies on the table between them. The image speaks volumes. Within the covers of this book are images of joy, war, strife, degradation, deprivation, and humanity. Each image is a source of emotion. The pictures of children running through cobble-stoned streets, women wrapped in the traditional head dressing, or Afghani soldiers in combat with Soviet troops provide some form of linkage to a sentiment. A sentiment that provides the viewer with the basis for the question…’what makes me human?’

To be a photographer, means that one possesses the intentions of documenting the world. And whether that photographer documents birthday parties, weddings, or war, he or she is recording the events that shape our world. A few years ago my father, whom I consider the first photographer in my life that I truly had the chance to meet, gave me a camera. Now to some, this may not seem out of the ordinary, but one must consider this small fact…he had owned this camera for at least 28 years. To think of it, this simple man-made device had captured some of the most special moments of our family’s history. It had been there to witness countless birthdays, family vacations, graduations, holidays, births, and even deaths. Through its lens and within its inner mechanisms, it had captured the essence of our family. Today, I cherish that camera. Keep it safe. For it, like the old griots of West Africa, is a story teller. However, instead of using words, it has used images.

To be a photographer, means that one cherishes the moments that make life beautiful. So in short, take pictures…document the world.