“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower…”
–William Blake, Auguries of Innocence—
…or in one click of a camera.
One picture is worth a thousand words. Some pictures lay out the facts, like a road map.
But others have all the elements of a great novel, crammed into one quick snap.
Danger…
Mystery…
Character…
Adventure…
Desperation…
Romance…
Greater purpose…
For me, the best stories raise questions as well as give answers.
They present universal dilemmas, and show us how people learn to cope with trauma or loss.
A disaster becomes a compelling tragedy, although the victims lived two thousand years ago, if we can relate to their suffering. And who can’t?
We like to tie up our stories in neatly arranged ribbons and give them happy endings. Who doesn’t love a happy ending?
But that’s not always possible. Perhaps the best stories–and photographs–just remind us of what it is to be human.
All words and images copyright Naomi Baltuck.
Click here for more interpretations of The Weekly Photo Theme: Split-Second Story.
Perhaps black and white is easier on the mind as well. No difficult decisions, no wavering, no questioning right from wrong. But real life is in color, with many subtle hues and shades. Condemned prisoners who crossed over The Bridge of Sighs in Venice got one last peek at their beloved city. Did they see their world in terms of black and white, or in color? Perhaps one’s perception depended upon whether one was looking in or out, whether one was coming or going. 
It is easy to cast judgements, until you have walked a mile in another person’s shoes, looked into her eyes, heard his story. The world is not black and white. It is the color of flesh and blood, with many gray areas. What is the color of a human tear?
Writing Between the Lines 