This photo stuck with me. The light brings the viewers eye to the interaction. The medical devices are nearly hidden in the dim light. The look between a father and son. The quiet of the moment. The silence of love.

I felt my experience with my father’s illness swell up. I remembered how the illness became a part of everything in my family’s world and was the underlying aspect of our day-to-day. For this father, Tayler, his outcome will hopefully be different. He is scheduled to receive a kidney transplant on April 11, but the moments of uncertainty, which permeate during the waiting period for all with severe illness, are similar to what my father and our family felt as his illness slowly defeated him.

I think this memory of my father and my personal experience is what made this image hold a firm place in my mind for days. In daily photojournalist work, I often find myself in situations I have never been before. I have to react with my camera. In these situations, I aim to make images that inform, are honest, and are interesting to look at. This type of photojournalism helps fill the paper. However, being conscious of our past experiences and how it impacts how we see as a photographer/photojournalist is a strength too. It allows us to make images that cause a connection.

I am thankful for the Pierce family sharing their experience with me. It pulled out memories and feelings that have been residing within me for years. I saw my dad’s face. His fiery eyes and soft smile. I was not prepared for this on that late Wednesday night, but I am thankful. Photographs are a moment in time, but the memories and emotions that come from an image that resonates with you removes the limits of the frame and expands outward.

This photo did that for me. Like I said, I am thankful.

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