Week 3.13: Cheating

Week 3.13: Cheating is a photo of flowers picked for me from my Aunt Donna's garden by my second cousin, Talia, who is seven-years-old. Talia decided to pick flower and put them into a black, custom-stapled cone of paper with which she surprised me, pulling them from behind her back after I gave her a good-morning hug.

I then proceeded to sniff them...Ahh, lavender heaven...and spicy marigold...And then I proceeded to photograph them...big surprise there, right?

In the course of my lenswork a conversation from earlier came up.

Apparently Aunt Donna took Talia (who is her granddaughter) to the state fair to view the art exhibit. Upon seeing a framed photograph on display, Talia was genuinely shocked and exclaimed: "That's Cheating!!!!!" Aunt Donna asked her what she meant. Talia explained, "They didn't paint it or draw it or anything! They just took a picture and put it in a frame and called it art! That's Cheating."

Talia was quick to tell me in person what a scandal that was. Big gestures and wide eyes conveyed a true disturbance over fake work. Aunt Donna briefly tried to explain to Talia how a photographer looks at things differently: lines and light and angles...

All to no avail. Talia knows a fraud and calls it when she sees it.

Nevertheless, I am glad I believe in Cheating. Because even though the lavender scent faded and the flowers drooped and the cone got bent, I still have this picture.

There is a very real debate over photography and whether or not it is "actual" art; it will probably rage on forever in the art world...I don't really care. Talia says it's Cheating. I have to say, I don't mind Cheating of a certain kind.

And here is my Secret Confession: I love Cheating when it comes to baby shower games and bridal shower games and throwing together a quick dinner. And, now that it's mentioned, I don't mind Cheating via photography.

But from the very core of my being, I will ever and always refuse Cheating when it comes to the big things like marriage and friendship and family.

So there.