PHOTOGRAPHING GRIEF

December 22nd is my mother's birthday. She passed away in 2001 after a long battle with cancer. I never look forward to December 22nd. It is always a sad day.

On Dec. 21st I received a call I was expecting, but really didn't want to get. It was The Toronto Star's photo assignment desk asking me him if I would cover the funeral of Phyllis Gretzky, the mother of Canadian hockey great, Wayne Gretzky. Of course I accepted the assignment, but few realized, that for me, December 22nd was going to be a very sad day.

Covering funerals is difficult at the best of times, but on this day I had to suppress my own emotions and get to the job at hand. I've met Wayne and his father Walter several times, and they are always gentlemen. For many in Canada the Gretzky's are hockey royalty. I understand what they have been, and continue to go through. My son, a hockey fan, and a Gretzky fan, has a card at home with both Wayne and Walter on it. He was hoping this year, to have Walter sign it for him at the Annual Gretzky Hockey tournament in Brantford during the Xmas Holidays. Walter Gretzky has often been found attending some of the games. Sadly, that autograph will have to wait.

Among the throng of media, standing politely across the street from Grace Anglican Church inBrantford on a cold, windy December day, I made all of the images that every newspaper could want. Mr. Walter
Gretzky, his family, children, and grandchildren, and of course Wayne.

However, before the sad event was over I would have in my camera this photograph of Wayne Gretzky in the back seat of a limousine, as it finally pulled away from the church. To this point the family, and especially Wayne, had remained composed in the face of the national media. For many minutes the car had sat stationary, with many cameras pointed directly at the tinted back windows, hoping to get a
glimpse of the Great One.

I realized that Gretzky would remain stoic until out of the spot-light, so I left the main group of media, and walked some distance down the street, thinking that as the limo left, Gretzky would finally let the
strain of the day show. 

A short time later, while transmitting this and other images to The Star, I could not help but feel the sadness of the moment, and empathize with the Gretzky family. I was emotional myself as I prepared the image to be transmitted - the stress of his day finally showing itself - now that my job was complete. 

At The Toronto Star I was told, people in the newsroom were "blown away" as the image appeared at the picture desk computers. It was promptly placed on the front page - a full six columns wide!

The next day, I began receiving phone calls, and comments from co-workers, who were moved to tears upon seeing the image on the Star's front page. I think that anybody who has lost a loved one can relate to this image. For some readers the reaction was anger. The Star recieved many letters condemning the photograph and its use. "Shame on the Toronto Star. Shame on Peter Power," wrote one reader.

I understand that reaction, to a point, but I think this reaction is an indicator that some readers truly felt one man's pain when they looked at my picture. I'm sorry they don't understand the role that an image like this plays in such a story.

My goal when making any image, is to have the reader feel some of what I, and others might feel during a given event. I want them to have empathy for the subject(s) of my photographs. I think in this case I achieved my goal.

Note: In June of 2006, it was announced that this image won Picture of the Year in the ECNPA's annual contest. It also won first place in the General News category sponsored by Reuters (Toronto).



"Beyond The Picture" is an opportunity for me to share some stories, anecdotes, tips, or other information that students, or interested professionals may find useful or simply amusing.