The last of an endangered species
By Caroline Jaymond
3 June 2008
I love to take images of the children mostly in the nature. Sisters, friends, all take place in the grass. Sometimes in the trees and the game can start.Young and impatient,they intensly play their part of being themselves in front of my camera but just a few minutes.The first picture emerges like a tongue from my beloved box with the familiar sound they love so much.Some of the girls make a little Oh of surprise and joy.They know magic is on its way, they jump immediately from the tree, they jump on me and catch the picture as soon as they can. Let me see ! Let me see !They want their reward.They don't want to miss the on-going process.The white picture passes from hand to hand until complete revelation.Glorious moment,they are in a state of eagerness.I have to calm down everybody to continue the game.
That's why i love so much to use my polaroid cameras when taking pictures of my children.It's not anymore only me taking seriously photographs they will see one day but all of us playing a game of giving birth to pictures. All of us making magic moments.
And the game goes on.Kids Climb back into the trees.Lay back in the grass.Just look at me and give me a smile.
At the end, each of the children keeps 3 or 4 pictures . We are back with our harvest of polaroids and fun moments.
Together, we look at our treasure. We admire the little squares lined up side by side on the table.
Most of all, I like the imediacy and spontaneity of these precious moments with my children and my polaroid cameras. It has a great meaning for me. It strengthens the complicity we share.
Besides, polaroid pictures capture better than anyother the changing nature of their emotions.
Photography has always been used by parents to retain the passing moments of childhood. My father could polagraph me as a growing child. I do it with my own children while I still can.
Unfortunatly, they won't be able to polagraph their own children.
I feel like the last one of an endangered species, the mother-polagrapher.
