Photography can be a great memory aid

It can help us recall the good times, the bad times and the in between times. (Please see below for additional text and a second photo)

I shot this photo in Nags Head, North Carolina, 12 years ago today on what now could be called an “in between time,” Monday, September 10, 2001. It was the final day of vacation before I was to return to the Associated Press in Washington where I worked as a photo editor.

It was such a beautiful day. I was driving down the main beach road about to head out of town when I noticed how incredible the clouds looked. I pulled into the parking lot of a fishing pier and walked to the end of the pier’s boardwalk to take a few more pictures before returning to work.

I look at the this photo now (as well as the one below taken a few days earlier) and I try to remember how things were before. I am always struck how myself and everyone else in that particular place as well as most everyone around the world had no idea what was about to unfold in the following 24 hours.

I suppose on that day at least, ignorance was bliss.

If I had not taken this photo on that morning I am not sure I would remember now where I was or what I was doing the day before everything changed.

Do you remember remember what you were doing, where you were or what you may have taken a photo of on Sept. 10, 2001?

Thank you for visiting my blog today.

While editing this post, I can across some interesting stories on the Web where people talk about their memories of and photos taken in New York
on Sept. 10, 2001. I thought you might find them worthwhile.

USA Today, The Day Before

The Day before the Storm ABC News

September 10, 2001/The New York Times