old pictures = new perspectives

Yesterday I received these photos in my mail from my Aunt Annie. 

They are of my father when he was younger. It was special to see them for the first time because my brother and I only have a handful of photos of him at all, maybe 5 to 8 pics. 

I guess people just didn't take pictures back then the same way we do now, that is my best guess on why. 

The pictures I have are from when he was older. Possibly even after he had become Ill. My brother probably has a better idea on the time frame of those.

However, these are different.

He is only 13/14 in this one. I was blown away especially by how much I look like him in this photo. I know, it's kind of a no brainer that I would. But this really confirmed it. 

This was taken from a polaroid that my aunt took of my father when he was about 18 or 19. You can really see the native american in his face in this photo. I had never known he had long hair like this either. Although it doesn't surprise me too much knowing that he was self taught on guitar (and quite talented) and had gone through a stage of rebelliousness. Sometimes you forget that your parents were young once. 

It is reasons like this that I love photography so much. I only have a handful of photos of him but it is strange how much just one image can completely change your perspective. Just one snippet of a moment in time. One photo can draw out so much emotion out of someone. They can open a floodgate to a part of your history you sometimes lose touch with when it is out of sight for so long. Photos are so powerful at this, they can do all of these things to you and more in just a split second. It would be like if you could tell an entire story with just one word. This is why I take photos. And why I love looking at them. 

-Angela