Goodbye, Irvington

April 24, 2012

By the time I was 12 years old I’d already lived in 6 different homes in 4 different towns. In the 8 years Chris and I have been together, we’ve never stayed put for longer than a couple years. Moving has always been a huge part of my life, one that I usually welcome as a way of neatly organizing my life into chapters. And yet, when I was 14 and we transitioned into our 7th home in our 5th city… I cried.

A LOT.

I had always been a creative child, but my own personal grasp of the art world was only then beginning to expand beyond the childhood standards of painting and drawing. I hadn’t even come close to touching a camera yet, so much of the friendship and memories I had built over the few years we spent in Davis while my mom finished her art degree were to be immortalized in nothing but angsty chicken scratch.

You bet your buns I picked up photography real fast once we settled into our next hometown. I started off with point-and-shoot cameras and moved on to SLRs when I was 16. Eventually I picked up a digital camera, but even back then I truly cherished the sentiments behind film.

A real, tangible, stuff-it-under-my-pillow-while-I-sleep photograph. A photo with soul — my soul — that’s as intrinsic to the resulting image as the plastic it’s imprinted on.

Portland Oregon - Falcon Art Community - Irvington

Portland, Oregon - Irvington - Rooftops and Clouds

Portland Oregon - Irvington - Puddles, Newspapers and Raindrops

Last week I said goodbye to another place I once called home. While I’m ready to say goodbye to this apartment, I won’t kid myself into thinking that I didn’t have some awesome times here in Irvington.

This was our first Portland apartment, and the place where I first shot a Rolleiflex. I thought it fitting that I end our time here on a similar note.

I won’t be stuffing these pictures under my pillow, but I will cherish them, and my time here, always.

SHARE THIS STORY
COMMENTS

I am absolutely in love with these images. I’m just glad you aren’t moving to another state! So happy for you guys! Now, wish Cory and me luck on finding our next place :/

Such beautiful photos, Kim! As usual. And I understand completely, the same thing happened with my family. (I went to six different schools until middle school). The four years I have lived in and around Pittsburgh I have moved five times! You put it so wisely and beautifully. I can’t wait to see the next chapter in your life!

Wow, another chapter closes. Bridget and I moved once a year for the first 5 years of our marriage before we finally bought a home. I don’t miss the moving, that’s for sure. Also, I love these images. The narrative that surrounds them really just makes me stop and stare deeply at each frame and wonder what every single little detail must mean to you.

What a great share to accentuate just how much photography means to you!

thoughtful words and beautiful photos! I miss you and that city!

ADD A COMMENT