I got up early one Saturday morning. I needed to get to Des Moines early to photograph a real treasure. My friend’s father – my friend’s uncle – same man – went to have coffee with the angels. I was honored in every way by being present at the burial and seeing it through my lens. I hope that it is militarily appropriate for me to share these images. I won’t share the images with family in them but know that they are raw and really really beautiful and honoring a life well lived.
I arrived well before the family. I wanted to walk around. I wanted to look at light. I wanted to get my feelings in check so I would think of this as work/art and not about how very sad my friend was. When I got out of the car I saw him. Quiet. Alone. Still. Stoic. Perched. Ready to honor.
Honestly, I gasped. You can tell I liked him….I just couldn’t get enough of the way it all felt, I had to get it all.
You can tell I liked the bugle and the player. He was just so far back but so very very present. I know from talking with the family that some weren’t even sure if it was real or taped. Real. For sure.
It really was a precious day for me and I’m so thankful for it.
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