Photography as Haiku

Haiku is a single-breath, a moment in time. It is a surge of awareness, and yet haiku allows the reader to decide what is done with that awareness. There are no diatribes, no preaching. Haiku is a simple statement of what is. All of this is photography.

Jackie Watts Kramlich is my favorite photographer. When she first began taking pictures, she came to my house. This is one of the photos she took. It had been a difficult summer for my family, but when I saw her pictures, I realized how much beauty and life there was in us. She changed my summer.  

What I like about Jackie's work is her authenticity. She finds life--ragged, beautiful, and real--when she looks through her lens.

Jackie is a nurse and a mother of four. This is a picture of her with her youngest son. Jackie's husband Chris is a farmer. They live in Jinja, Uganda. Her words are italicized.

JOY

"This little girl was so sick and SO apathetic all the time. One day, her personality escaped and she was the happiest, most joyful baby ever. This picture is very significant to me."

Strength

"Ugandan women are unbelievably strong.  I hope this photo captures that, at least that's what it captures for me."

Awareness

"Chris loves his work, and I respect him more than anyone for what he does."

Faith

Movement

"It's hard to capture movement, but I feel like in this picture you can see it."

Beauty

 

"This couple has been together for a very long time now.  In the middle of an Ugandan party for them, they were asked to dance, and they did the foxtrot. I loved that."

Restoration

"This little boy burned his hands which ended in contractures. He underwent surgery, wires in his fingers, and daily bandage changes. He now has full range of motion."

"This little boy I thought surely was going to die. He was a skeleton. He did not die."

"Simon--Again, this was such a sickly little boy. It has been a LONG process with him, but he is starting to gain weight and gain health. Even a smile like this brings my heart pure joy."

"This was the first serious medical case I dealt with. I thought for sure she would die. Again, she did not. She is probably one of the biggest miracles I have seen in my life."

Follow Jackie's blog at:  working love