Sometimes a photograph begs for a backstory to help answer all of the questions it raises. This is one of those snapshots. How this middle-aged couple ended up posing with this group of young, self-professed hippies is a complex, personal story that I'm happy to share in person.
It wasn't until I shot this photo that I realized it was more remarkable than a simple group photo. For one minute everyone reluctantly, but politely came together on the front porch. Although the generation gap was obvious they still stood shoulder-to-shoulder. The irony wasn't lost on anyone as they joked that you couldn't find a more diverse group in one place.
What stood out to me when I took the photo were the two patriotic shirts from each side of the divide. A line from the John Mellencamp song, "Little Pink Houses" went through my mind with the lyrics, "Ain't that America". Two very different visions about the same country.
This snapshot also points out some stark differences from when it was taken in the early nineties. In today's culture it's hard to imagine such a photo even being possible with the deep divisions.
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