Photographs are one of those little things in life that are taken for granted. Generally photographs freezes the moment so it'll be remembered always by those who see it at the same time, the story behind the picture is waiting to be passed on as one more 'great tales of the common folk's escapades'.

My parents celebrated my arrival into this god-forsaken world 21 years ago with a purchase of a Nikon to snap the happiest, saddest and also most embarrassing moments of my childhood. Those who know my mother will also know that she doesn't know anything about cameras BUT she truly values the function on it. She always tell me that photographs are the closest thing you can ever get to a time machine. A picture of you when you are 21 will always be there so that you will remember how beautiful your youth were when you are 71. That was her idea of time travel.

During my dark ages as a librarian I came across this photojournalism book by LIFE magazine. I think it was called 'LIFE in WAR' or something. It was a collection of photographs taken from the First Great War to the Cold War. In there were the most raw, honest and disturbing pictures that I have ever came across. Obviously this book was aimed to showcase the truths of man-made confrontation with their machines and the effects it brings on the innocents. However, to someone who is living ahead of the century that those events took place those pictures represented the emotions of the people inside. Their story la basically…I found myself thinking things like what were they thinking? What did they do the day before this picture was taken? What happened to them after this picture was taken? Who was the man or woman who took those pictures? Do they have a name? How was their life before the war like? What got them into that pile of shit? It was a question that I will never know because I wasn't there. However I know what they were going through then because I can see it. Unlike personal photos it wasn't my reminder to those moments it was theirs but by looking at the moment frozen on paper it is passed on as 'great tales of the common folk's escapades'.

One example is this picture that was taken in the streets of Paris after the Allied took over the city. While people were rejoicing over the defeat of the Germans, some Parisians were sorting out locals who befriended the Germans during their occupation. The journalist explained that men were beaten to death and women were publicly humiliated by having their hair shaved off in public. There was this one particular picture that showcased the event. This young beautiful lady was seated on a stool and she was crying while having her hair shaved off. And if that didn't add to her humiliation imagine being insulted and spit on by everyone watching. Just because she had an affair with a German officer, from that piece you can see the hatred the Parisian have towards the Nazis. You can also see the shame of the woman who seems like she would rather die then enduring that emotional torture. Then you find yourself asking…did she deserved this? Ok so she slept with the enemy…but why? Was she in love? Was she forced to in order for an exchange of a more valuable commodity like food which only the Germans have in control? Maybe she was doing it for a greater cause…a sacrifice of some sort. Who knows….only she and God know. All I know her image send her story of remorse and sorrow through my eyes.