Whatever happens, happens! Whatever is recorded is a perspective on what happened, not what actually may or may not have happened.

What we say, believe, or assume to understand about history is not what almost surely  have happened. Instead, a complex mix of interpretations of what took place from the eyes, mouths, and minds of a few direct witnesses, writers, and story tellers is what results.  Adding to this stew of influence and bias we have political overtones, ideologies, personal and other influences by those in power, and a myriad of other factors many of which we may never know.  Then, we add to all this super-mix the continuing rewriting, re-manipulating of history, and added and removed information over time through school boards, religious ideologies, plus whatever else added by individuals' interpretations of this already super mixed stew of data.  What we have left in the end is something that relates to some events that happened in the past, which lead to where we are today. Through this twisted, convoluted, and often misleading information flow, that reflects continuing efforts buy agencies and individuals in control across time, in the attempt to use such material for the benefit of whatever agendas and intents there may be, we end up with what we call: HISTORY

So, the following are a selection of images reflecting another individual's idea of history.  My effort in this work is one of admission of personal prejudices, perspectives, background culture, and some creative attempt at making some sense at what is that we choose to elect as truth, reality, and ultimately history!!!!

My love for life is a gift that has allowed me to survive situations and conditions that might have been fatal for many.  At the core of that love is the admiration and awe that while observing others my heart experiences.  From soldier to pacifist, teacher to student, philosopher to spiritualist, and conservative to liberal there is a magical state of existence in which I experience the process of creation pulsating in me with each and every breath I take.  We all create our reality.  Therefore, there is a different universe for every living being.  All of them unique, mysterious to everyone else, and ultimately temporal to the extent of each thought we have.

For me, to experience such expression of what life is, gives me the burning passion of wandering about all that is, may be, and will be... and in doing so I realize that most of all that I may be all about, is going on just one inch beyond my grasp.  Yet, just knowing that,  gives me all the power I need to continue to walk firmly into the future of possibility until my last step is made!

Faces, to me, are signatures of the power of living creation in the moment...

When placed in a certain order, images tend to create a context reflective of their physical relationship as in the case of the following nine images.  I placed the pictures at random with just a few decisions to favor page layout composition. Yet, once in place, I noticed that the very arrangement provoked an interpretation of which  I had no idea until then.

The first three images seemed to be expressing: how women did not get immediate benefits from the revolution in terms of rights, how children remained subject to the power of the whims of the ideologies of the time... and how men (white, and land owners) got the benefits while avoiding their leading responsibility towards the latter.

Second row of three pictures appear to allure to the passion and focus of the military leaders on the left. Image on the right could reflect the hopes of the men upon the prospects of an independent nation and the freedom from colonial oppression.  While at the center the facial expression suggests the wandering of how all of this warring will bring about a place in society that until then continued to deny human rights.

Life without humor can become so intense that becomes unhealthy.  These images were taken without knowledge of how they would eventually be played out.  When I picked them I still didn't have any particular idea or reason of why these particular ones had been chosen.  Then I used the placement according to classic layout composition.

Yet when I looked at them in the end, I realized that it looks like if the maiden on the left is wandering what is that thing the fellow at the center is holding - since digital cameras were not existent at that time.  Meanwhile the character on the right looks like he is not wanting to believe that the fellow at the center would create such a controversy between his attire and his camera...  Meanwhile the fellow at the center, shows the most innocent look as he whole heartedly contemplates over his next subject to photograph.

Here, through all entertaining events we have actors and audience, but in life each one of us perform and observe simultaneously.  As a photographer I often experience this insight. While I am aware of acting to best place myself in a crowd to get my shot with the least amount of invasion possible, I also am observing what is going on.  Sometimes I act aggressively (but respectfully), other times, gently, kindly, or sweetly.  Either way I am a spectator of both; actors and bystanders while acting to capture the image that is being presented to me.