Alix Michelle. SC.

"Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart, like why are we here? And where do we go?And how come it's so hard? It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving I'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together"

"Better Together"

Jack Johnson

I am most definitely not a photographer. My family has plenty of those and their talent far exceeds my own. They take pictures for a profession, beauty, and memories. I may not have the first two, but I love the last. The pictures I take are random and sometimes very silly. But out of all the things I could choose to take photographs of, my favorite is my sister Alix Michelle. Not only is she a constant form of entertainment for me, but a constant form of inspiration. Not many people can say their sister is their best friend and know deep down in their soul that it is true in every sense...I can. Sometimes she is moody, or even downright hateful. Often times I am furious for no reason, then euphoric the next. The recognition of one another's flaws brings about a silent understanding. We take the other person's faults in as they happen then allow them to be erased almost in the same instant.

Between the both of us we have dealt with a lot of hardships throughout our lives. With every new one of hers comes a new opening in my heart to take the pain, and store it inside myself until she is ready to face it again. People who love her other than myself may request that her packages of hurt be lifted from her and put onto them, but they do not know my heart and hers have had a storage contract since the very first time she consciously cried.

The reason I bring up my sister and pictures is that I recently discovered Alix is my favorite thing to capture. In every picture taken of myself (though I will always pick apart every flaw that can be found) I look generic. I flash the same smile I have given for years that I know will be positively viewed. I have practiced putting up a front to hide what lies beneath the "cheerleader smile" enough times to perfect it. Ali however, is vulnerable in her smiling. She does not know how stunningly beautiful she truly is. Every picture shows humility. I envy that. She begs me to edit the pictures in a way that hides her absolute raw self and changes her into the same generic person I achieve without the editing. I do it, but what she does not know is the extent to which I edit her photos. Maybe airbrushing a blemish, whitening a smile, or changing the color filter is as far as I will go. But these minor changes give her the confidence in her pictures I wish she would always carry with her. But then again, do I want her to lose the naivety, vulnerability, and pureness that she carries only for her modesty to be replaced by the vain, fake qualities so many people have? I do not know. The truth is, I would love her all the same either way.

"Sister, I hear you laugh, My heart fills full up. Keep me please. Sister, when you cry I feel your tears running down my face. Sister, sister, keep me. I hope you always know it’s true I would never make it through you could make the sun go dark just by walking away playing like we used to play like it would never go away I feel you beating in my chest, I’d be dead without."

"Sister"

Dave Matthews