...I'm far from sentimental, but...

The Picture Show : NPR. When people sit and reflect on who I am (which I doubt few people actually do)... But in my fantasies, when a journalist approaches some of my long time friends to get a bit of background on who I am as a person -and not just an award winning, internationally acclaimed photographer- what is it that first comes to their minds?

After a stream of consciousness, turettes-like barrage of derogatory, foul language followed by threats of legal action (or worse) to get off the property... (I'm not sure if this says more about my friends or me!)   One or two of them might actually pause and offer some thoughts on the subject.

I would be willing to bet the there is not one among them that would offer the word 'sentimental' in relation to me.  I am renowned for giving away, throwing away or generally leaving behind anything that does not fit in the bag that I have been living out of for some years.  And although the 'bag' has changed sizes and shapes - including vehicles, backpacks and now an apartment - the same rule usually applies.  Get rid of anything not essential or necessary.  Clear out the clutter.  In fact, don't even reach the status of clutter.

I don't long for things left behind.  I don't wish for times passed.   I generally look ahead and try to focus on the now when I can wrestle my focus into submission.

But this article on NPR really struck a chord as I read it.  Maybe it's not exactly the 'sentimental-ness' that resonates for me.  Maybe it resonates with me as photography resonates.  It's another moment captured that will only exist once.  It is the end of an era.  It's the last of an endangered species on its way out.

It seems to be a more ephemeral, temporary form of artistic expression... Unlike the digital world in which I primarily exist, where my work will be around as long as we have electricity...  This Kodachrome medium has realized it's transient shelf life.  It reminds me of street art which is created with the understanding that it will likely be removed, destroyed or replaced. Or theatre which exists only in the moment in which it is performed...  No less powerful for its temporal nature.  In fact, sometimes more powerful because of it...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this little story about the last roll of Kodachrome film reminds me of my own transience... my own temporal nature in which we are born, create, die and continue in the creation process (albeit in a different format).

I like to be reminded of my own mortality.