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We live in a world where there millions of images are taken on a daily basis from all over the world. Every time we press the shutter we are showing the world what we see.

There might be times when you take a picture and you don’t think much of it. You may even ponder “why did I take it in the first place.”  You may even think to yourself, ” umm, I could have done it better”

Either way we should never underestimate the power of the image. I am going to tell you a story that happened to me some years ago that reduced me to tears. You’ll also see through this story that took place about 15 years ago, that I’m not a good salesperson either !!!

I met a lady at an expo that I was attending and I had some of my Limited Edition prints hanging on display. These are roughly 1.7 metres wide all framed up. It’s a very expensive process to get them to this point.

This graceful elderly lady who would have been in her mid 80s stood in front of my stand. She was just staring at this picture that I have posted for this blog.

She was studying the picture with such dedication and concentration.

I let her be to take in the picture and I’ve never had a person who studied a picture of mine with such intensity.

Finally after what seem like a very long time, she asked me if I was Pete Dobré. I replied, “ Yes I am” she then asked I she could buy that print.

This is where the poor salesman comes out in me.

I guess most would be licking their lips and seeing a sale. By the way, these prints are not cheap, around the $2,000 mark as they are printed on special paper and all are hand crafted.

I said to her” Are you sure you really want this print?”

The lady replied, “Well if I didn’t want it, I wouldn’t ask would I?”

What was going through my mind was that, this print was $2000 and she was in her mid 80’s and our life spans don’t go much beyond this and I didn’t want her spending $2000 on my print if she wouldn’t be able to enjoy it for a greater part of her life and I thought she might be able to spend her money better elsewhere. Thick aren’t I, but that is just me.

I’ll never forget the look in her eyes and even as I write this small blog now, my own eyes tear up, as this was such a special, moment in y photographic life.

Her eyes all watered up and this set me off before she even spoke.” Pete I know what you are referring about my age and spending such a large sum of money but you see Pete, no money can buy what that print means to me.

My husband and I went camping in the Flinders Ranges all of our lives and he has sadly passed away a number of years ago, and this spot from where you took the picture, is the placed where we parked our humble caravan for all of those years, this was the place where we sat on our deck chairs for over 30 years and just admired the scene before us.

We would view the sunrise from here and the sun setting over the ranges. I want that print as I want to put on the wall where my feet face so when I go to bed each night, I will look at that beautiful print of yours and my last sight with my eyes each night, will be your picture .

With that all the memories that come flooding back to me will be relived through your picture as I drift to sleep. No amount of money can buy that. I’m so thankful that I have stumbled across and this picture of yours as this is my second home.”

I was a mess when she told me as I am writing this now, as it is one of the most beautiful things ever said to me in regards to the pictures that I take.

Oh dear where is my keyboard!!!

Never under estimate the power of the image as what you think is not much, or just a nice scene, to another, it may mean the world to them and unlock a range of wonderful memories for them and put them in a delightful and happy place as it did in this case to this lovely graceful woman.

Pete 🙂

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Pete Dobré

Author Pete Dobré

There photography is self taught and they enjoy capturing what is before them and sharing that with the wider community.What delight them is being able to show aspects of photography that people may not have thought of before.They like encourage people to look at subjects in a way that they may never have thought of.To encourage people to learn to photograph subjects that may have been out of their comfort zone.To encourage people to see and learn how to see the detail in all of the subjects that they photograph.Photography is so rewarding as you get an opportunity to freeze that moment in time to marvel the wonderful acts of nature and the material world.Every subject has its own delights and beauty and they love it when people discover that and embrace it.

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