Reality

I had an interesting conversation with my friend David today. David is a photographer and I hope to see some of his work soon. David told me today that he believes that photographs should represent reality. This was after he explained that he does not manipulate his work on the computer; that he is a purist.

A little background on David: David grew up in Carbondale, but he has been all over the world in the military. I don’t know in what capacity he served, but I picture him as a covert agent because of some of the incredible places he has been. David has a background in social work and currently works with many of the street-people in Carbondale.

David photographs some of these people. He says that he like to show them just the way they are. I believe the reality David wants to show is reflected in the faces of these people. We Americans, often, don’t want to see that much reality. It make us feel uncomfortable.

As David was talking seriously about Reality, I couldn’t help but think about yesterday’s picture. I wanted it to be whatever your mind could imagine it to be. If I had taken a “realistic” picture of my Subaru’s warning light, you would have had a completely different reaction to it. I told David about yesterday’s picture and now David thinks that I am crazy--crazy in a good way.

Today’s picture happens to be a reality picture. The reality here makes me smile because of the shear capriciousness of the young lady who chose to put pirates on her black polished fingernails.