Life is not an eternal phenomenon.

It is an ephemeral nature and the necessity of enjoying every moment. We are constantly wasting our time on unnecessary events, while we are frequently neglecting to consider those at home.

Life is far too short.

Before it’s too late, do everything it takes to enjoy yourself and spend time with your loved ones. There might never be a tomorrow. Enjoy today and begin the necessary changes right away. Until my father unexpectedly passed away after a health checkup, I never understood this. From the moment he fell ill until he passed away, I was present for the entire event. I essentially observed it take place. He had plans. The day of his retirement was just two months away. He intended to relocate to a house in northern Thailand with his wife and live a simple, quiet life. A cruise ship, New York City, and extended travel with him were all on my list of plans, but none of them were fulfilled.

Using my personal experience to present this topic—how my late father has passed away, yet his presence is still felt everywhere—I wish to investigate the subject of my loved ones’ invisible presence in the photo essay His Invisible Presence. When I first started this project, I was unaware that it dealt with loss. My inspiration comes from ghost photography, specifically the work of 19th-century spirit photographer William Mumler, who was formerly well-known for capturing ghosts. It’s not difficult to comprehend why 19th-century Americans were fascinated by the burgeoning spiritualism movement and might have thought these ghost photographs were authentic. The Civil War, in which over 600,000 lives were lost, was still having a devastating impact on the United States when spirit photography first emerged in the 1860s. Americans were drawn to anyone who could provide them with even a momentary link to the spirit of their lost ones while they were in heavy grieving. Similar to self-described mediums arranging rituals that permitted the living to connect with the dead, photographers like Mumler fulfilled the grieving person’s desire to see their lost family members for the last time. Losing a loved one may feel like losing a part of yourself since your brain registers the bond you had with your loved ones. Because this link is recorded in our mind, it will never be easy to unregister after a death occurs. It essentially establishes a we, not just you and me, but a we of overlapping experience. As a result, when a loved one passes away, we genuinely feel as though a part of ourselves is missing. Our representation of the we have a hole at the neurological and coding levels.(1) Still today, people cope with loss in a variety of ways, and those who struggle to cope can develop a mental illness such as depression.

I believe we all go through similar grieving processes or stages, but how we deal with loss in our lives differs depending on the individual. And this may be how I cope with my grief by creating this series, His Invisible Presence, to preserve my father’s memory while also connecting with others through my images. Working on His Invisible Presence series becomes a ritual or a means for me to construct memories of my father. It enables me to create a memory book in order to remember and preserve memories of my loved one, as well as to share and invite family and friends to contribute memories and stories. In this series, the viewer will also discover that I wrote some messages to my late father. It’s an opportunity to express my love and longing to him, especially when I wasn’t able to say goodbye, even if he may not receive it. By presenting this series as art, I am able to connect with others and show them that there is someone else out there who has experienced something similar to their own experience. I’m hoping that this work can bring others the same level of comfort that it does for me.

We have not significantly changed over time. We still desire communication with our departed loved ones. Regarding my research, I decided to take photographs of the locations and objects that belonged to my father rather than imbuing them with a ghostly presence like William Mumler did. I’ve decided to show his still-preserved belongings as though he were still alive by using the invisible presence approach in my work. The ability to better observe the elements in a shot and arouse curiosity or perhaps confusion as to whether he is still there can be achieved by incorporating some detail and action into the image, such as leaving the door open or placing a cup of coffee in the scene.

Photography is used as the primary medium in this series. It is presented subtly, without overt tactics, to encourage viewers to ask questions and reflect on their own experiences. Which connection do they have to my photographs? Who or what are they able to recognize after viewing my images? I want the audience to feel sentimental or reflective on the individuals they’ve lost and how priceless the moments and times were. I hope that it also encourages others to make an effort to make the most of their time with those who are important to them while they are still alive.

(1) Mills, Kim. “Speaking of Psychology: How Grieving Changes the Brain, with Mary-Frances O’Connor, Phd.” American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association, March 2022. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/grieving-changes-brain.

Nothing lasts forever, even life.

Have you ever wondered about how much time you spend with your loved ones and whether or not you spend quality time with them?