Sally Mann’s transition to photographing her children to landscapes to then death was an interesting process to see. I kind of felt bad for her kids being photographed all the time to the point where they would hide from her because they did not want their photo to be taken for hours. I had that same experience when it came to dressing up for the holidays as a kid and families nonstop wanting to take photos of everyone. I cannot imagine how much more difficult it must have been trying to avoid that every day.
However, I think I understood the reasons why she did. From both the slow and fast pace of life, moments are fleeting away before we even know it to the point where we take life for granted. I agree with Mann in how America stays far, far away from the subject of death. No one wants to see or hear it. But I think when we process the idea of death, we stop and think about ourselves for a moment to see where we are in life and what to do with it. Even though it causes me anxiousness of what is coming in life, thinking of death sort of gives me that push that, “hey, you are alive, so enjoy it”.
I can appreciate how she uses such an old school method of taking photography. Even though the process is a hit or miss, because it takes such a long time to develop, the journey to make capture what she wants is something I can respect as an artist. I think what I can gain from the movie is how to enjoy creating what I want despite what others may think. The thing about life is when you think too much about what others think, you forget about what matters for yourself.
