It has been 20 years since my father passed away. Like many parents that think their children are extraordinary, I have that feeling about my dad. He gave me an appreciation for a lot of the world that I still pursue today! Although I did not get his God-given talent for illustration, he did love photography, and he gave access to some large cameras from a young age. I do not fully appreciate that until now, but I appreciate the faith he gave a spastic boy with his precious camera gear!
At the Grand Canyon
Of course, I wish he was still with us. There is so much over the 20 years that he would have enjoyed seeing! He never had high-speed internet, a cell phone, or an iPad. I can only imagine what kind of sketches he could have made with a tablet and a pencil-like input device. Not to mention, I would love to see what he would think to photograph with my Nikons. I remember taking a special trip to a shopping district in New York City just to browse and eventually buy his NIkon N2020. Can you imagine – autofocus? And I can mount my old lenses if needed? We would have so much to shoot with my collection now.
Windy day on Featherstone Shores
I can remember when posting for photos, my dad was definitely ahead of his time with modeling. Unlike the generic photos of the film-snapshot days, he didn’t always want us to look at the camera. He did not want to us to always be smiling. He directed me when photographing what to include in the frame, and how it should look when it is developed. It was my first lessons in pre-visualization which has helped me in my career now. I save so much time with out “spraying and praying”.
Family photo at church
Thanks for sharing your artistic genetics – it has helped me to build a business and opened so many doors. I wish you could have been here to help me, but not having you here has pushed me to grow up and find my way on my own. I know you are still helping me, and I will keep trying to make you proud.
In Virginia Tech dorm
