Every Picture Tells a Story……
Like this one…..
And, this one…..
When I travel, or when I have a special occasion…or just when I see something that I think is interesting or cute, I take a picture. I’m guessing you do, too! It’s part of the joy of life…documenting images of things we want to remember!
It’s fun!
Years ago, my husband, who came from a long line of professional photographers and who was quite talented himself, introduced me to the basics of taking photographs. It was a skill that has added to my “joie de vivre”over the years! He taught me some of the most important elements such as how to best use the available light, how to frame the scene in an interesting way, and how to identify subjects that would, indeed, actually make a good photograph. Over the years, under his tutelage and with his encouragement, I learned to use a point and shoot Polaroid camera, a 35-millimeter camera and, a digital camera, and probably some others that I can’t remember!
Now, I just use my iPhone. That works pretty well, too!
The basics of light, framing, and subject is always the same, but the development of the cameras has made it increasingly easier for me to take a very suitable picture…..or to adjust my picture so that it is very suitable……or to just keep taking pictures until I actually get one that is suitable. It always amazes me at the end of a trip of how many good pictures I have and how easy it is to erase the ones that are not. Also fun!
Amateur photography has come a long way, baby!
But, it all started with George Eastman, who took what had been a very complex process and simplified it so that we could all get some satisfaction out of documenting our stories through pictures. This was the type of person that George Eastman was….always interested in bettering the lives of the “common man”. He, after all, began his journey as just a “regular guy” who never even completed high school. With some brains, hard work and compassion he built the Kodak Company and revolutionized photography!
I learned all of this and more during my “East Coast Boogie” in the last weeks when I visited the George Eastman Museum. It was another one of my museum stops that was well worth my time. It would be worth your time, too, if you are around and about Rochester.
Most people know about Eastman’s contributions in the photography world. Most of us have had a Kodak camera or at least some film. A lesser known fact is that he made a wide range of contributions to include world-wide humanitarian efforts that changed people’s lives for the better. Some of them were so effective that they are still in play, albeit in different formats.
George Eastman made a lot of money. There’s no denying that. And, he used it to enhance the pleasure in his life and that of his family. There’s no denying that, either. This was evident in the grand house that he built in Rochester, which is now the museum. He wanted a large “country” house in the city. So, he built it.
He wanted extensive gardens where he could sit and commune with nature, so he built them.
He wanted a farm planted with fruits and vegetables, so he built one. He wanted farm animals, so he bought them. If he wanted it, he got it. That’s just how he was.
The house itself was decadent….
……and was the site of many fancy parties and gatherings with friends. It also showcased Eastman’s many interests, such as his love of music. He had a strong affinity for organ music and had this extravagant pipe organ in his “conservatory”.
The pipes extended to the second floor of the house. And, he had an organist on staff to provide music at different times of the day. When the organist wasn’t there to play the organ, the organ played itself….via a large collection of music rolls from which Eastman chose depending on his mood.
He also liked to hunt and had this head of an elephant on display in the conservatory.
So…..Eastman enjoyed his money! I like that about him. I also like that he had a variety of interests. It gives him depth.
What most people don’t know is that he took a lot of that money and gave it away so that other people could enjoy their lives, too, and have a better quality of living. He donated over 100 million dollars to educational and arts organizations. He was a generous employer and gave some of his money to his employees in the form of profit sharing and bonus’. He created healthcare programs and started clinics all over the world where people could get free dental care, medical attention and have minor surgical procedures done that would enhance and improve their lives. Some of these clinics are still viable, including one in Belgium. He started a charitable organization called the “Community Chest” that has since evolved into our United Way. And, he created the very first employee pension system. It was so good, that Roosevelt used it as a format for what we now know as Social Security.
It’s quite a legacy for someone from such a humble background.
As Eastman aged, he developed some issues with his back, spine and muscles that left movement difficult and painful. It limited him. He didn’t like that. So, one day he was at a doctor’s visit and as the doctor was listening to his heart, Eastman said to the doctor,
“Exactly, where is my heart?”
The doctor pointed it out on Eastman’s body. A few days later, Eastman went to his room and took out one of two guns that he had and shot himself in the heart. He had the second gun in case the first one failed. He wasn’t depressed or down-hearted. He was just done.
He left this statement, now a famous quote, “My work is done. Why wait?”
Indeed…….
There’s really nothing more to say about this remarkable person who did so much for so many people, and left us with a way to remember the stories of our lives. But, I can tell you this. I will be thinking about him the next time I take out my trusty iPhone to snap a picture…maybe you will be, too.
Every picture tells a story…..
Here’s to the next one….
Travel With Betsy 
August 28, 2017 at 12:08 am |
Betsy this is a great article and observation.