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It didn’t lie

Dec 22, 2008

843

"Whoever said a picture was worth a thousand words… is about to see just how badly he miscounted."

Ra's al Ghul- JLA: Tower of Babel

OK, that quote said by the megalo maniac before he unleash a doomsday weapon, butt yes, I talk about picture, a photo to be exact. Last Saturday, I spent my weekend overwork in my office, which is near to a mall-hotel called Pacific place, which held world press photo '08 exhibition. Though the exhibition is held on a mall and in the small dingy corner of the mall, it still a success cuz lots of people came to see it (probably just some passer by whose came to the mall, but it still a success, or probably cuz it's free?).

It's funny people use to say a picture worth a thousand word, but we still read novel or news paper. Hell, even some people say Twilight novel version is better than the movie (I admit I saw it, but not for the so called Edward Cullen, I'm a huge fan of Kristen tewart since I saw her movie "Speak", hint : check in youtube. A very nice movie, though some people still said the novel is better). Even most people say Harry Potter novel beat the hell out of the movie (I don't see or read this. Not interested. Period).

Again, I try to remember all the message that the photos in that exhibition try to deliver. From the haunting of anti-war message to a funny message of brotherhood and sense of competition in extreme sport. They all try to tells a story. My favorite is the photo of ex-President of Russia, Mr. Vladimir Putin (A.K.A. Vlad from now on). There's something on that photo that captivate my interest, probably cuz it capture Vlad, charismatic and power. You won't get that kinda shot without years of experience, war-torn, betrayal, revolution, survival, etc. The second is the sport inspired photo, it really fun to see those moment of achievement capture right on the spot.

Again I remembered how hate I am of being shot at. Maybe cuz I'm not photogenic, or maybe just like Indian, I believe some of me had been taken (spirit or life expectancy) with each shot taken. So in result I don't have lots photo of myself. Well no problem but somehow I think I miss something, cuz memory can be twisted, mistaken by intention or not. But a photo, I think it capture the moment and immortalized in (even today we could modified or re-touch photo in Adobe). I remember when my friend showed me a photo of how he celebrate a goal, each time he feels down and gave up his dream of becoming a footballer, he just saw that photo and he will be psyche again (though he gave up his dream eventually and join me to become corporate robot and slave wages). But he always remember that feeling of accomplishment, achievement, he still saw that picture every time he feeling down.

True, a photo capture that "moment", it never lies. I remembered when my neighbor just stare at photo of him and his girlfriend. He wonder, "what's wrong with this picture?", it's a picture perfect of couple smiling, hand in hand on a vacation in Bali. What went wrong? How that perfect couple change into a complete stranger? He told me that after the break up, they never talk again, even they never met each other again. He said that even if he saw her, he'll just vanish from her sight. But that photo tells a story that there was a beautiful story between them. Just like photo of my friend making goal. It capture the moment and it makes all worthwhile, no matter how insignificant that moment is.

And I try to remember, if there's a moment that I need to be cherished, to remembered for the rest of my life. Then I found an old photo of my family, I'm still little (and fat like a pig, how come I'm like a skeleton or drug abuser right now?), my parent still live the 80's style (hair style, clothes, etc). And I smile the widest smile in a while. My family is not perfect, we put "fun" in the word dysfunctional family, but that photo tells me that there was a happy family. I'm still have that light in my eye that said, "brave new world, here I come", and that smile of an angel. Where did all that go? How come my family become dysfunctional? When did I turn into a pessimist, jaded, suicidal tendencies loser? Did reality took my viginity? Did life took me by surprise and turn his back on me, or maybe I'm the one who turn my back from the world? Did I walk away, or run away from life?

Again I said the cliché word, what went wrong? I know that time can't be turned back, and the only option is to moving forward with everything that already happen. So with a mindtrack that the photo did not lie, I try to recover the family I once had, that photo show me there was a moment like that and probably that moment still exist within us just wait to be uncover, unraveled. Maybe I can be saved, to maintain, or regain the innocence (which is impossible, so probably regain my optimist), I think the kids within me still exist. That photo did not lie.