As the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” these are a thousand words that don’t need to be said, and a thousand words that are different for each observer. 

They hold a thousand different meanings, different to each individual.

Tyler Knott Gregson is not only a local poet, but he is also a well-acclaimed wedding photographer from Montana.

The word “photograph” can often be related to “truth,” it’s an authentic recap of the moment, it is plain and unembellished, holding emotion and reaction upon each encounter.

He uses his photographs from weddings as a fuel for his writing. His clients are his muses and it’s their pictures that “talk” to him. The bliss and affection that can be conveyed through a photograph is unexpected.

These pictures were taken directly from his website, treehousephotography.org. They convey the same messages any wedding pictures do, love, affection, adoration, except you can’t make out the couples faces. There is no expression present to illustrate these feelings, however the nature of the photo itself leaves room for interpretation. This relates directly to the effect of a well-written poem. As a reader, it’s almost impossible to know the exact context a poem was written in, however, the emotion that it invokes can be similar from many different perspectives.

You don’t have to personally know the couples in these photos to see the utter joy they have for one another. A wedding is the happiest day of a person’s life, and the images captured let them relive it over and over. Even the slogan for Tyler Knott Gregson’s photography business incorporates his eloquent writing to emphasize what it means to capture a picture. It states, “We are the memory keepers and trappers of time. We are the stealers of stolen glances. We are the chasers of the light.” These quick thoughts express what he and his partner intend to provide for the bride and groom. They are not really the “memory keepers,” however this metaphor of what photography truly means is a great example of what a picture can capture. They hold the most cherished moments and act as a catchall of emotions.

Poetry acts in the same manner. Just as a poet uses a personal experience as the fuel for their writing, a reader uses their own experiences to put meaning to a poem. This works the same for photography. A picture is captured, a moment in time, frozen forever. A viewer does not have to be present at that same moment to feel the emotion the photograph holds. Tyler Knott Gregson proves this through both mediums, creating a bond between his photography and poetry.