By Jim Colton
A brother’s love…there is nothing like it.
Growing up, I had an older brother…although at times that fact could be debated…he didn’t always act like the elder. And as with any household, there was the sibling rivalry, the one-upmanship, bragging rights as well as the occasional fight. Who hasn’t had them with a sibling? But at the end of the day, there was a bond like no other.
My brother, Jay Colton, passed away three years ago. I miss him every day. He was a talented photographer and respected photo editor, and we both wound up on the same photojournalism path albeit via different routes. Having both parents in the business, I blame it on our DNA.
As brothers we shared rooms, clothes, ideas, philosophies as well as likes and dislikes on everything from music to food. He loved Uni (Raw sea urchin)…I can’t stand the stuff! He beat me at chess…I beat him at tennis. But we both had a love for photography and a passion for editing. He was a champion for many aspiring photojournalists and always gave back to the industry. Jay passed away while doing portfolio reviews at a workshop in Brazil. A champion...right to the end.
Chris Capozziello has a brother…a twin. His name is Nick. They too, shared rooms, clothes, ideas and philosophies. But Nick has cerebral palsy. It gave Chris reason to question; “Why does this happen to anyone?” “Why did it happen to Nick and not me?” This curiosity inspired Chris to document his brother’s ailment and is now the subject of a book he is trying to finance via Kickstarter. The title is “The Distance Between Us.” (See link below)It hasn’t been easy. According to Capozziello, “There’s risk that this in the end might hurt my brother. Recently I read the book to my family for the first time from cover to cover and Nick didn’t make it past page 25. He began to tear up, and then couldn’t stop crying. That’s something I wonder about quite a bit. Photojournalists want to show life honestly and in all of its realness. But, how do the people whose lives are being shared feel about a wider audience scrutinizing their lives? Are they scared? Ashamed? Embarrassed? Excited? Ambivalent?”
The images are intimate…and deeply personal. But they bring the viewer into a world that they normally wouldn’t see…and gain a greater understanding and appreciation not only for its debilitating effects but also the pure joy and humanity of how a family is dealing with it...together.
https://nppa.org/page/photo-journal-chris-capozziello-brothers-love