Determining the personal value of a photograph is a complex issue. Initially, it seems like it shouldn't cost any more than the $0.13 developing fee, but consider the relative value to the one who holds the memories. People invest their wealth in lifestyle, homes, and vehicles, yet if presented with the choice to rescue only one belonging from a catastrophe, all choose their family's "Photography Memories" knowing these are the only belongings that can never be replaced.
So what is the value of a photograph?
My wife and I on one of our first dates.
A Photograph is the only...
way to stop time
opportunity to see the world through another's eyes
truly unique thing we can own
way we can relive a moment
thing that lasts after the wedding
evidence our memory was real
My grandfather when he was young.
A Photograph is a tangible connection to...
our past, present, and future
the our life experiences that make us who we are
the people, places, and things we care about most
our heritage
our greatest life moments
My wife holding our newborn son.
A Photograph can...
never be replaced
say more than words
capture personality
make us remember
share life with others
show moments we may have missed
traverse time and space
bring people together
transcend language and culture
My sister and I a long time ago.
A Photograph has the power to...
communicate knowledge, ideas, understanding, and love
change the world or change our world view
remind us of what is most important
elicit the strongest of human emotion
take us places we have never been
show moments we may have missed
strengthen the bonds we share with ones we love
live forever
My daughter's first ride on a ferris wheel.
My friend and mentor, Skip Cohen of Skip Cohen University, always says, "With the exception of modern medicine, no career field has given society more than professional photography!
The strange thing about photographs is they always appreciate with age. So, what is the value of your photograph?
It's your story.
-JMB
