I love taking photos. Its not because I think Im so photogenic (hardly) or because I think people want to be in photos with me, but partly its because I always believe life is made up of the moments that take your breath away, and photos, for better or worse, tend to capture them more effectively than words ever will.

I was looking through my photo archives-okay, by that I mean my computer- the other day, and I found myself feeling a tad nostalgic to see so many faces I took pictures with not in my life anymore. Its like at that moment, when the picture was taken, your friendship with them seemed endless.

Youre taken to another world in a photo.

Its like at the time, you dont think anything of the picture youre taking. You dont think of the memory it will hold, you just think and worry "do I look good? ooh, is my hair okay?" And you pose. And the camera clicks and the picture is taken and you pose for the next one, forgetting about the previous one till reminded later.

Theres the occasional perfect picture that seems to be taken at the best possible angle, youre face looks flawless, your smile seems effortless, your arms are around your loved ones, the care you each share for the other just jumps out of the shot, the beauty in the shot captured for all eternity (or at least until its erased).

Then theres the not so perfect one, where you look absolutely disgusting and you look deranged, but the happiness or the sadness of the moment seems perfectly captured anyway.

The candid photos, taking you in your element, no pretenses, I think those are priceless.

And that feeling of utter invincibility when youre taking a photo. Youre just carefree and you think nothing can take that moment away.

And then time passes and you realise that you were wrong. Time passes, people leave. Yet. Yet youre thankful that the pictures exist to capture moments when you thought you really did have it all, even if you really didnt have anything to begin with.

I like thinking that whatever chaos or order my life is in at the moment, there were moments, beautiful heartfelt moments, where for just a second, life really was okay, and theres tangible evidence in the photos, and theres proof.

In this breakable world of ours, that reminder just somehow keeps me going on. And thats why I love photos.

So take one with me sometime, okay?