Lange Studio

for my 4th year shooting for RK Mellon Foundation.

Will & Mark Epstein’s eyes 2007

I found these photos of and Mark last night. They have both been on my mind. Will’s new album dropped last week. Such a thrilling listen, but I keep getting stuck on “That Will Be Me” and it moves this purveyor of JOY like some aural magnetic force. I am pretty sure that sadness is a big part of JOY. It has to be.

When I took these photos, Stephie was pregnant with Jackson. I just dropped him off this morning for a high school sr. trip that will silence his phone for the week. Asher reminded me that the last time I dropped Jackson off for an overnight school trip (4 years ago) I was in tears. This morning I got through dropping the boys off with dry eyes, but then put on, “That Will Be Me” and needed my eyelids to be windshield wipers. I am like Will. I don’t think about it often. I can’t move forward if I am thinking too far ahead.

The Steelers lost so badly last night. Jackson was living every play in ecstasy (his positivity) and agony (the reality). We watch the games together because that is what I did with my father. It was almost the only time we really had together. Jackson is very aware of the legacy but we get lots of time together, even with the clock ticking. Ticking to his moving away from home. Ticking just because, that will be me.

The song that came on after Will’s was “Pledge” by Benmont Tench. I love this song, too. My favorite line is, “”And Jesus ain’t the only one to rise in the mornin’ with love as his mission.”

The first thing I tell every single person I photograph is that our mission is putting love out in the world. I mean it.