I remember this particular moment so well and willed myself to do so. did you ever do that when you were a kid? think about all the moments that were lost forever and then decide you were going to remember that moment, no matter what? and now, so many years later, you know you tried to remember them but you don't, not really. but you remember that you tried to remember them and I guess that's something.
back to miami, july 2001. right after I shot this of ward and ava, I put down the camera and put all my senses to work. I wanted to remember every detail about that moment. the brilliant turquoise, blues and greens of the ocean. the way the sky and the clouds looked, the palpable feel of the air, thick with moisture and the scent. holy smokes, the scent. a glorious mix of salt and suntan lotion. my feet in the sand, the deafening sound of the ocean. ward and ava off in the distance, playing in the water. faint squeals of delight coming from ava and the sound of splashing. the skin on my shoulders that felt hot from the sun and the trickles of sweat making their way down my back. a pile of collected shells at my feet. the fantastic breeze blowing and I remember feeling tired. but it was a good tired, a content, vacation kind of tired. and while I am fortunate to have this gorgeous photo to remind me of everything (and it is one of my all-time favorite photos), I'm happy to say that I don't really need it.
I'm not a big fan of winter, even though I was born in winter time and I love snow. we never get snow down here though, just cold dreariness and rain. february always finds me pining for summer. gimme some sweltering summer, the hotter the better. I need me a little summertime fix and a look through old photos should do the trick. well, that and a trip to the attic, where I will get out the beach towels and smell them (they still smell like the ocean and the pool). and shaking out the beach toys that still have sand on them. so, yeah. that should just about do it.
come to miami with me. more photos are here.
I love the blue of the sky and the green of the water. And yes, I know exactly what you mean about deciding to remember a particular moment. I'm sending warm, sunny thoughts your way!
ReplyDeletethe memory of a day on the beach, you described it to the point that I could feel the mist and the sand between my toes! Now I wonder if I will remember this moment too? The image is fantastic..the clouds and the blue and do you hear the waves?
ReplyDeleteThe way you call us to follow you to your attic...such a good storyteller! Thank you!
Oh my gosh I need the beach!
ReplyDeleteThat picture is so effing stunning. You know how I feel about the ocean and this picture makes me ache!
ReplyDeleteWe could not create more gorgeous colors than these.
oh the scents and colors of summer! and you have captured all of them so well, i don't know how i can smell summer over the internet - but for some reason it's magic here. i think i'll stay awhile...
ReplyDeletethanks, all.
ReplyDeletemadness, I do believe I was a little bit inspired by your recent (beautiful) post on the ocean... any body want to read it? go here.
That's a beautiful photo. The colors are almost surreal.
ReplyDeleteAnd people ask me why I have such a cloud fetish! I love this photo--and with Ward showing a little beefcake... Priceless...
ReplyDeleteJames, don't you mean "cheesecake?"
ReplyDeleteI love this shot. It was indeed a magical moment for us. Let's go back!
Now I want to go back to the beach. When I read this vivid description of your memory I too remembered the best parts of a beach vacation.
ReplyDeletelovely photos. brings back good memories for me too, and a longing for that warm shallow water.
ReplyDeletewow, those colors are amazing! i have had moments like that, too, where i have tried so hard to remember every detail... moments like that, how I wish I could bottle them up!!
ReplyDeleteAnd now.....I am happy too. Thanks for sharing....
ReplyDeleteOH!
ReplyDeletebeautiful- i love that you don't need the photo! :)
i want to go there...........
ReplyDeleteright now!
This is a beautiful photo! The colors are stunning. I too was a winter baby and crave the summer. I always scrap my summer photos in the heart of winter, to remind me of those high blue sky days that have passed and those yet to come.
ReplyDeleteI find that photos can transport me to a memory I didn't even know I remembered.
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely photo - love the colors.
i love trying to re-call memories like that.... and then when it works and you can almost taste, hear, smell it.... ahhh....
ReplyDeletewhat a great photo. i'm not a big fan of winter either and so would much rather be there....
The clouds in that shot are ... awesome (an overused word, but applicable in this case).
ReplyDeletewonderful wonderful wonderful....
ReplyDeletealways good photos- always good words
so i'm not the only one, then? when i was small my favourite game was memory. not because i liked it in and of itself, but because i thought it would make me better at remembering otherwise lost moments. i guess i was a collector then, too. nostalgia in five year olds is funny, isn't it?
ReplyDeletep.s. in honour of your picture theme days, annabel and i are doing "why did god give me eyes wednesdays" -- her idea-- and we're going to photograph the most ridiculous and homeliest things we can find.
ReplyDeletethis post made me nostalgic for your memory. may i borrow it for the day?
ReplyDelete