photography and empowerment

I have a love for photography. My parents said I started since I discovered an old film camera at the age of 6. In the years that followed they spent a pretty penny or two or three on developing my amateur pictures but never complained. Finally, digital cameras became available to the Guyanese population and they started saving - SOMEWHAT! I need a computer to upload the images to and process before printing.

Anyways, it's more than 20 years later (gosh I'm old!) and I'm still into it. For those of you who have read a post or two from me you would have noticed that they are accompanied by pictures. I think that adding an appropriate image to a post can help to give direction a bit more as it will add to the story.

The picture I choose to use in this post - it's a simple portrait of my maternal grandmother. She's 81 years and still plays badminton with us on the days that it doesn't rain and her arthritis doesn't act up. We'll play cards with her and when playing 'cheat' her voice is normally the loudest. Don't every think you'll win in chinese checkers because she'll eat you alive. Apart from the fun aspects, she is an amazing storyteller. I've learn so much about my heritage and history from her. She is an inspiration of a strong women and we love her dearly. I don't think I could have capture her beauty in words sufficiently as I did in this picture. When I look at the image I feel so many things...

How many of you are into photography and think it can be used for empowerment? What kind of images have you captured or think about capturing? How many of you have questions about photography (feel free to ask!)?

Just thought I'd bring this up as it's something I love and I really do believe that a picture can tell a thousand words. Afterall, it is a multimedia platform and the more ways you can represent a story then the possibility of a larger audience exists because it'll appeal to so many more peopel.

Love
TJ