Freezing Time

Last week I talked about the power of having a 1,000 photos in your pocket. I’ve been thinking a lot about what types of events and stories better lend themselves to photos than video (and vice versa).

One thing that’s jumped out at me over the last few weeks is the ability of photos to freeze time.

When you watch a video, you’re not in control. The creator of the video is. They determine how long each scene plays for. They control what you see and when. With a photo, you can look at for as long (or as little) as you’d like. You can take in every detail. You can get lost in the moment.

A few weeks ago, I showed my grandfather an old photo of him playing guitar (pictured above). He exclaimed, “That was in Canada!” Then, I watched him get lost in a sea of memories. It was a beautiful moment.

Photos freeze time. It’s a magical thing.