Mark Conley Photography
Located in Albert Lea, Minnesota
Fifteen years later, I appreciate her photos just as much as I used to. She captured photos our children at times in a way that I could never explain to anyone. Dressed up in goofy little outfits and hats that she would buy for them, bare bottoms standing in the river, sleeping with their skunk pajamas on…the list goes on and on… On a rare occasion I would use her camera and take a few pictures now and then. I never took an interest in photography back then and I am not sure why? During the summer of 2004 I was told I had cataracts 20 years earlier than normal and that it was coming on fast in one eye. Because of my job I needed to wait until the end of the summer to have surgery. By the time fall had come I had it in both eyes. I had waited to long, and my vision was deteriorating. Before my vision problems I would go to the local nature center quite often. I would go for walks and watch the wildlife. I would finally end my time sitting at a place I found to be soothing and relaxing from the day to day stress. That fall one day while I was sitting in the same spot I had come to find peace, I realized that the seasonal colors and the mossy green rocks were not as clear as they used to be. I remember as I sat there all those photos that my wife had taken. They were “All for a Reason”, and that reason was for us to always remember how things were at that very moment. I am so thankful that life had been preserved and remembered. As I sat there looking at that same mossy green rock that I could barely see, I told myself once I could see again I was going to buy a camera. I want save those images in life that had brought joy to me. On March of 2005 my first camera showed up! I have been snapping pictures of anything and everything since then. On hundred thousand plus photos later it still amazes me every time I look at anyone’s photo. What I have taken at that “one moment in time” will never be seen again by one person, yet captured for everyone to view in the future. The day I started taking photos I knew this was my passion in life. As we know, those new passions do slow down. Life’s everyday things seem to hamper other things we love until we remember to take time for what and who we love. I have never gone one day without thinking about my photos, photos I see everyday, moments I feel I have missed, or actually taking pictures. It wasn’t until recently that I found that old flame and that passion for photography once again. February 22nd, 2009 was a day that brought a new meaning and passion for me to all my photography. My children and a family I care greatly for lost someone that had an influence on them and who had cared about every one that belonged to him. This was Grandpa, Dad, Husband, Brother and Son of the people who loved him. I called him Norb, Norbert and Bumpy. Everyone had their little names for him. I knew he was respected by all, especially me, for his goodness and kindness. He was surrounded by all the wonderful people he created and that is how he ended up in my life. I spent some time scanning old photos of Norb, preparing his display at his final farewell to all the people that love him. Each and every photo I scanned, I looked at over and over. Most of them I could only think, “I never knew he owned a motorcycle?” or “I never knew he was in France while in the war?” or “No one has ever said anything about that?” The list goes on. It seems many did not know a lot about his life before they were brought into this world, or even until he left us. They only knew of their time that he had given them. Maybe it’s me that I have this love & passion for photography, but it seemed that anyone I talked to during Norb’s week of passing, or during his wake and his day of having all of us stand in his weather that he may have predicted for his day, standing in front of the “picture window”, but everyone I was around or spoke to was “Did you see that picture of…” My boy’s stood quietly behind me as I scanned photos. They would occasionally say where is that? My response was “I have no idea…” My grateful and loveable in-laws would hand me a photo to scan, and say “I have never seen this one before…” The mystery of his past has become clearer with the painful week of mourning for everyone and the stories told by all. Yet the photos have told many stories from many years ago, even when many never knew anything about him and his youth. Thanks Norb, for giving me things I never had and memories, I will never forget. |
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