The Memory Maker

In the last century, few people could imagine the sophisticated art form photography would become. When "picture taking" was in its infancy, people nervously posed for the camera while the photographer hovered behind a wobbly tripod for minutes on end. The finished product was sometimes hardly worth the trouble. Yet a real artist, even in the early days of photography could capture the inner essence of his subject in a creation of true beauty. In "The Memory Maker," a traveling photographer displays his works on the side of his wagon and as we examine them, we sense that this is a man who truly knows his business. This photographer and his family live a little like gypsies, moving from town to town. When they ride onto main street, he picks up his horn or megaphone and cries, "I'll take your picture! You or your children! I'll pose them on or off donkeys!" You can guess, because he lives in a tent, his profession is not a lucrative one. He fishes in the nearby stream, not just because his hours are his own, but because he has to feed his family. Making a living selling one's artistic wares is not always easy, but there is a certain satisfaction that money can't buy.