Soul's Saved, Now the Fight for the Flesh

This man, a Jehovah's Witness, firmly believes his soul is in God's

hands, but he is fighting a deadly battle with cancer, which has drawn

him from his native Midwest to the Los Angeles area for specialty

treatment. His face (and his wife's behind him) reveals their concern. I

stopped them both and told them 'I am a photo artist, you both have

interesting faces, and I'd like three minutes to see if I can reveal your

souls in an image (no charge).' After review, they said they think I

accomplished my goal. How about you? Your ratings and critiques are

invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly or very critically, please

submit a helpful and constructive comment; please share your superior

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks!

Enjoy (or at least be edified) John

This man, his wife, behind, their daugher (most lovely) and her husband, both of whom arrived shortly after this shoot but saw it, were all complimentary and all agreed it captured the moment. All knew how it would be used and thanked me profusely.

 

They were pleased to have such caring attention in their time of dilemma -- earthly dilemma of course -- as they are obviously very devout and by doctrine believe themselves saved.

 

John (Crosley)

Even the devout do not walk calmy into that night at whatever age..I see pain, and fear in this man's face. A new hospital in a new city. His comfortable and familiar surroundings shorn from him. And anyone who has lived with a dying patient will know that after this there comes the resignation to maybe not winning the fight. As a photo journallistic essay on struggle against death-which is no friend except to those who are really hurting a lot;, this one is honest, I give it that and more. Even without the text. A person's last journey is not a fight per se, in my eyes,but a giving in to high tech ( an invincible opponent) at UCLA..etc.... But with the text,which is well written, it is more understandable as a human need and a family need as much or more. perhaps, something urged on one by family... Except it won't register to anyone young enough to believe they are indestructible (motorcyclists without helmets I am seeing lately). I don't know about the soul, but the body is all we can hope to photograph...this may be the basis for an intelligent discourse, John. aloha, gs

I have been away a couple of days and saw your comment just before and was unable to reply.

 

But no loss.

 

It is wonderful and wonderfully written.

 

It requires no response.

 

It is as well written as I could do if I wrote it myself; and I frequently write such things.

 

However, one thing. This man is undergoing 'low dose chemotherapy' so he can get his chemotherapy and act like a tourist, so I saw him acting as a tourist, but spotted him not 'looking' like a tourist and for the first time in my life almost uncannily stopped him and his wife, recognizing something was greatly different, said 'You have interesting faces. I want to photograph you (no charge) I think maybe my photos may uncover your soul.', and by God I was right.

 

A famous or semi-famous photographer asked to see a photo or two of mine at a gallery opening the other night. I loaded the chip this one was one.

 

I said 'you can judge my entire worth as a photographer by this one capture I'm about to show you' then illuminated this. He saw this then took three steps back. His judgment: Very powerful photograph, and he didn't want to hear an explanation (good 'art' judgment not to hear an explanation.)

 

I won him over I think.

 

He said 'good choice', and I think was doubly impressed that it was taken the previous night.

 

I like to do that; spring such surprises on people who might think I'm just a hanger-on -- maybe a 'friend of a friend' who has a little talent who just happens to worm his way into this or that function, when I've got lots of showstopper photos, and literally can reach into my daily captures usually and come up with something good or even great.

 

I'm about to do that now; a series that fascinated the staff at Nikon USA (West),but cannot be shown (the subject is a former undercover cop concerned about his safety, but old and when he passes, the the series can be shown, not before) It is Very Powerful and different, taken in a few minutes at a bar in a public place.

 

That's how I do it; just take a camera and walk around.

 

Or drive.

 

John (Crosley)

Very professional, I admire the way you see the world. Kind regards

Thanks for the high compliment for this amateur (at least amateur for the moment, and with the state of 'professional photography, I foresee no change, unless it's to galleries,where I have been pointed.)

 

To take a photo such as this is such an interesting process, just to pass a guy and his wife like this, looking so out of place with his harsh and troubled face, but amid and apparently 'being' a tourist and doing apparently 'tourist' things, then literally and instinctively stopping them and saying 'you have an interesting and unusual face' and I'm a photographer; I think I can make a really good photo of you if you'll give me a minute or few' and him demurring, thinking he had to pay me.

 

And all the time talking with him and his wife, and in talking finding out he had cancer and was undergoing low-dose chemotherapy, so had few adverse reactions and aside from the therapy, was able to live a relatively 'normal' live, except for the dread of possibly dying, hanging over his head, which is why I had somewhat uknowingly stopped him and ultimately what I think I captured -- that dread and his struggle, even though his soul was -- by definition of his Christian faith, -- already saved.

 

He, his wife and ultimately -- his daughter (and her boyfriend, husband or fiance, -- e.g. the guy she was with who was close) all agreed, this was a really good capture.

 

Then after only a few minutes together - maximum fifteen - off they went.

 

My life is richer for the encounter, both within my art/craft and personally.

 

I think this touched them in a way that to me would have been unexpected - imagine coming up to someone fighting death, but who is 'saved' by their faith, but taking a photograph that captures some human struggle with death, so dramatically, just by walking through a public marketplace.

 

There's something 'higher' or 'highly developed' in the ability to do that, and it is born by 'instinct' and loads of experience and curiosity born of my ever-increasing curious nature.

 

I'm so very glad to see your comment. I can remember almost every thing, almost every idea and thought from our encounter that particular afternoon, and certainly the expressed (and unexpressed) emotions as though it were in a film.

 

(Many photographers have such experiences relating to their better captures, I understand.)

 

Thanks again for the comment.

 

John (Crosley)