Perpetual fog
Lingering for far too long
Please bid your farewell
---
There is something very curious about the face. It is an exquisite thing . . . because it tells quietly and without words the stories that no other part of the body can tell [quietly and without words]. Perhaps for this reason, I guard my face; I fear people may see those very things I attempt to keep hidden. I do not mean just the blemishes, scars, and imperfections of a human face. I mean those deeply rooted things that show through one's wrinkles and eyes, and the way one's mouth curls and lips quiver, and the tell-tale movement of one's eyebrows. All those elements together give way to our secrets.
I came across an article about a Los Angeles-based photographer, Jeremy Cowart, last night. Cowart had the opportunity to photograph the cast of The Haves and HaveNots, which included actor John Schneider. Somewhere past the finish line of cast shots, Schneider asked Cowart if he could take some personal portraits of him. The photographer obliged. What Cowart did not know was Schneider's father had passed away earlier in the day, and the actor only learned about it during lunch. (Story can be read here: http://jeremycowart.com/2014/01/john-schneider/.) The images are absolutely raw, heartfelt, and beyond any falsehood. They are painfully true to the nature of the news. And the fact that Schneider allowed Cowart to capture his sadness and vulnerability on film, well, that in itself was bravery. Looking at the photos, I cried a little. They were that powerful. So powerful they inspired me to bare my face and share a few stories of my own.
--OH
18 January 2014
Day Log No. 3
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