Dreams or Memories?

dave lackey

dave lackey

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Which is more important to you? How does it relate to your photography?:angel:

I suspect that the age of one responding to this question will have a great deal to do with the answer.
 
Not sure if anyone even cares to respond to this particular thread. But that is okay...I was thinking about this subject this morning before I arose with yet again, pain in my chest (right side)...seems heartburn is a great motivator to get up and moving.

As a child, there aren't a lot of memories but a lot of dreams. At the other end of life's scale, there are usually a lot of memories but less dreams. Yet dreams pop up all the time, even if they may be relatively small and of short duration, such as my opportunity to work with the Leica R 80mm Summilux. Granted, not much of a dream, but a dream nonetheless, which came true thanks to a dear friend and fellow RFF member.

But, how about bigger dreams? Of life, accomplishments, maybe even a bucket list? I don't have those anymore and maybe that is why I am languishing photographically.:rolleyes:

I can only say that I have always wanted to be a positive influence for others in every step along the way. So, I became a City Planner...Now, that chapter is closed...but I am tentatively taking some small steps that may lead me in some direction but I have no dream of it happening nor what direction. I just have to be doing something.

How about you? Where are you in your dreams and memories state of mind?:p
 
I'm 40, deep in mid life angst. Memories are more important than ever, for the sake of maintaining and/or discovering a sense of identity, but I don't want to live in memories. Dreams are important, keeping them alive, as well as finding new ones. Overall, I'm doing my best to live in the present, and the act of photography is about that for me. Reflecting on photographic images is more likely to be about looking into the past or dreaming dreams.
 
My photography is nostalgic in theme so I guess they are memories though not my own.
 
Seems natural that memories will replace dreams.

At 68, my dream is to wake up tomorrow and do something that my busy work life never allowed me to do,
 
For me in my work now it would probably be memories but I can see how it would be dreams for Uelsmann or John Paul Caponigro.
 
Neither... I just keep moving forward. The past makes me pessimistic and sad. The only way for me to have any optimism is to go forward.
 
jsrockit said:
Neither... I just keep moving forward. The past makes me pessimistic and sad. The only way for me to have any optimism is to go forward.
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Now, that is what we are doing...living in the moment. Probably the best thing to do in our circumstances but difficult to throttle down after working so hard for so long.:eek:
 
My photography has always had an element of memories. It is a way to remember things in the past. It is still so even though much of that is of family with a digital P&S (well suited to that role). But I have photos of family memories, and before that of Army life in Vietnam. I just need to make sure my kids and grandkids know what those memories meant to me, if anything, so when they have motivation they can share it with their kids and grandkids.

I still like to think I can make the occassional photo that other people will like as much as I do. Other than that, I just always want to be a positive influence on people, first my family, then others.
 
Dave, I have always suffered with a poor memory - my childhood is a blur. Part of the fascination of photographs for me.

By 'dreams' I suppose you mean aspirations. Mine have always been vague, a fact I only understand now, looking back. I did want a career in academia, and after much struggle I do have that. And now that world is rapidly turning to sh-t.

My current aspiration is to set my life straight before I die. Still pretty vague. ;-(

My love for my family is the only thing I am sure about.

Actually, I am always engaged and focused when doing photography, maybe that is now my only personal anchor.

Randy
 
It's funny, since my last birthday memories have become very important, though my dreams are as strong as ever.
 
Dont know where i stand at the moment given my current position. Left school at 16 and I had deams but I suppose ordinary daily life sometimes gets in the way. I worked in fairly low paid jobs for twenty years when a back problem forced me out of work at the age of 36. Tried to set up my wedding photography business but my back stopped me again. Couldnt carry that on in case I were to let a happy couple down. So had a fairly mundane existence for the the last 20 years, though reasonably happy with life, but now with the changes in UK Government policies, I am now told to seek work. The Prime Minister has spoken and I'm cured...not! Yeah, its gonna be easy to get work when all the world is looking and I've been out of the market so long.

Theyve taken away all my benefits and I'm told my wife is expected to keep me. What ever happend to being a person in your own right?
My car looks like the next thing to be taken off me. With only 20 years of employment my pension could be affected too. I report to the local jobcentre every two weeks. I am treated as if I'm a benfit cheat or nothing better than the scum I have to walk past at the front door. I'm angry, embarrasssed and generally depressed about the whole situation. So with no money, no car, no pension Im not sure where Im heading.

My dreams

A Lotto win would help for sure but thats everyones dream and far too unlikely.
I wish I could make my photography pay its way, though I dont specialise in the usual portraits, weddings etc. but maybe find a niche for myself that gets the Government of my back.
Another dream is, that there is something better ahead for my family.

Paul
 
kuvvy said:
The Prime Minister has spoken and I'm cured...not!
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Kuvvy,
Very sorry to hear about your situation. It's quite disgraceful for anyone from such a privileged background to seek to victimise less-fortunate people. It seems that being un-employed is now a "crime" worthy of punishment. :mad:

Good luck, and I really hope something good turns up for you soon...
 
tbhv55 said:
Kuvvy,
Very sorry to hear about your situation. It's quite disgraceful for anyone from such a privileged background to seek to victimise less-fortunate people. It seems that being un-employed is now a "crime" worthy of punishment. :mad:

Good luck, and I really hope something good turns up for you soon...
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Maybe you can take a card from the States - here the unemployed disappear once they give up looking for work. The rate went down last week even with net loss of jobs.

Kuvvy, I likewise have great empathy for where you find yourself. I can still pay my bills, so I should really just shut up. I do hope that your situation improves (and that I can maintain the status quo).

Randy
 
kuvvy said:
Dont know where i stand at the moment given my current position. Left school at 16 and I had deams but I suppose ordinary daily life sometimes gets in the way. I worked in fairly low paid jobs for twenty years when a back problem forced me out of work at the age of 36. Tried to set up my wedding photography business but my back stopped me again. Couldnt carry that on in case I were to let a happy couple down. So had a fairly mundane existence for the the last 20 years, though reasonably happy with life, but now with the changes in UK Government policies, I am now told to seek work. The Prime Minister has spoken and I'm cured...not! Yeah, its gonna be easy to get work when all the world is looking and I've been out of the market so long.

Theyve taken away all my benefits and I'm told my wife is expected to keep me. What ever happend to being a person in your own right?
My car looks like the next thing to be taken off me. With only 20 years of employment my pension could be affected too. I report to the local jobcentre every two weeks. I am treated as if I'm a benfit cheat or nothing better than the scum I have to walk past at the front door. I'm angry, embarrasssed and generally depressed about the whole situation. So with no money, no car, no pension Im not sure where Im heading.

My dreams

A Lotto win would help for sure but thats everyones dream and far too unlikely.
I wish I could make my photography pay its way, though I dont specialise in the usual portraits, weddings etc. but maybe find a niche for myself that gets the Government of my back.
Another dream is, that there is something better ahead for my family.

Paul
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Dang, Paul...I am so sorry to hear that. As many know, I lost my last job in 2008, spent a year looking, interviewing and almost landing a decent job a year and a half later but my wife had a TIA, surgery and 10 cardiac arrests, forcing her to quit her job and I became an instant caregiver overnight.

Unemployment is extremely difficult on people, especially men. Where the home is generally where the self-worth/ego is for women, it is primarily in the job...making a living, providing for the family for men. I am still angry and depressed about it, so I know exactly what you must be going through.

Is there any way I can help? Let me know if there is, please....:angel:
 
To quote a famous song: "My life has killed the dream I dream(t)."

Long ago, given the opportunity to follow my dream (writing/photography) or "do what's expected" I chose to follow the path most often traveled. I went to business school. No regrets though, since that choice has allowed to accomplish certain things.

I use my photography now to capture experiences and thus create memories.
 
I think my photography is in one way or the other much autobiographic, in the meaning that I cannot take pictures of something which does not touch me deep. My main project now is something between memories and dreams, where memories are the starting point of a story. You can read something more here in my blog, where you can also see some more pictures, here. Part of the inspiration comes from a "magical box" I have at home, containing very old family pictures and letters. I am not very able in just documentary photography and probably this is the reason for which memories, dreams and sometimes nightmares are part of my photography!
robert
PS: the comment about age is true, when I was younger I was more interested in documenting reality...now, at 65 it's slightly different...
 
Good post Dave - Photography is completely about memory for me. A few months from 40 and even the images I made yesterday are memory. One thing the camera does perfectly is crystalize the moment - in that sense we are constantly evaluating which of the myriad moments we wish to fix in our (and our reader's) minds. In fact, one of the most powerful tools we have is the ability to create and when we're at our best, dictate memory. But we have to dictate without premeditation or the results end up for what they are - false.

As for my personal life, I've been beat down with the best of them. I have learned through taking the advice of others to live 24 hours at a time and turn my day over to a Higher Power on a daily basis. Can't fix the past and the future is unknowable for anyone. Tomorrow is probably not as bad or as good as you imagine, but why think about it? Just wait and see and do the best you can with what you have at this very instant. Heart beating? Food in stomach? Roof over head? Okay that's a good start. Heart goes out to you Paul - message me if you need a stranger's eaar - happy to help if I can give any advice that would help.
 
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