Tribute To A Fallen Mentor, And Friend
I didn't upload this as just a flower photograph. I've done this as a tribute to an important friend, now gone.
Doug Richardson was a Professional Photographer, a sports car enthusiast, and the man responsible for getting me into DSLR photography. He died mid-July, though I just learned about it a few days ago. Though I never met Doug in person, I'm surprisingly moved by his death. You see, in 2004 Doug was diagnosed with ALS...Lou Gehrig Disease.
Doug's thing was photographing sports car events. He would set up his tent, shoot the cars as they ran around the track, and then sell photos to the drivers, or anyone else. He would have several lap top computers hooked to printers, and would print very impressive photos, on demand. He was a vibrant guy, and was passionate about his BMW roadster, which was the link that brought us together.
Back in 2002 I was considering whether I wanted to spend the $2000 on the brand new Nikon DSLR...the beginning of the new digital age of single lens reflex cameras. Doug used several of these, and convinced me that it was the way to go. After I spent the money he took lots of his time to work me through the whole shooting process. He was INVALUABLE, and a good friend. That we also shared the love of Z3s was an added bonus.
Doug's ALS progressed very rapidly. First he had to give up driving. Then he had to stop going to car events. Finally he couldn't even work a camera; his condition was totally debilitating.
On July 15th, in the final stages of what must have been a HORRIFYING and HOPELESS condition, Doug requested that the necessary life-support equipment be shut down. It WAS necessary, and that brought his life to an end. I hope that I have such courage and determination when my time comes...though it will never be a fraction of the situation he faced.
So his encouragement got me into this type of photography. The D100 is very long since obsolete, and now just an element of photographic history. However, to honor Doug and to help me personally, I decided to take the old D100, and an even older 60mm macro lens, and to shoot a photograph 'for Doug'. This red blossom seemed perfect. Doug was like that...bright, robust, full of life, and very willing to help others. And he was a helluva photographer.
When I processed this shot, I removed most of the imperfections on the blossom. I left one noticeable one, though, as a symbol of the physical imperfection which cut his life, and his photography too short.
So if the photo isn't perfect, and it isn't, just think about how that is true too, with people.
Tribute To A Fallen Mentor, And Friend
I didn't upload this as just a flower photograph. I've done this as a tribute to an important friend, now gone.
Doug Richardson was a Professional Photographer, a sports car enthusiast, and the man responsible for getting me into DSLR photography. He died mid-July, though I just learned about it a few days ago. Though I never met Doug in person, I'm surprisingly moved by his death. You see, in 2004 Doug was diagnosed with ALS...Lou Gehrig Disease.
Doug's thing was photographing sports car events. He would set up his tent, shoot the cars as they ran around the track, and then sell photos to the drivers, or anyone else. He would have several lap top computers hooked to printers, and would print very impressive photos, on demand. He was a vibrant guy, and was passionate about his BMW roadster, which was the link that brought us together.
Back in 2002 I was considering whether I wanted to spend the $2000 on the brand new Nikon DSLR...the beginning of the new digital age of single lens reflex cameras. Doug used several of these, and convinced me that it was the way to go. After I spent the money he took lots of his time to work me through the whole shooting process. He was INVALUABLE, and a good friend. That we also shared the love of Z3s was an added bonus.
Doug's ALS progressed very rapidly. First he had to give up driving. Then he had to stop going to car events. Finally he couldn't even work a camera; his condition was totally debilitating.
On July 15th, in the final stages of what must have been a HORRIFYING and HOPELESS condition, Doug requested that the necessary life-support equipment be shut down. It WAS necessary, and that brought his life to an end. I hope that I have such courage and determination when my time comes...though it will never be a fraction of the situation he faced.
So his encouragement got me into this type of photography. The D100 is very long since obsolete, and now just an element of photographic history. However, to honor Doug and to help me personally, I decided to take the old D100, and an even older 60mm macro lens, and to shoot a photograph 'for Doug'. This red blossom seemed perfect. Doug was like that...bright, robust, full of life, and very willing to help others. And he was a helluva photographer.
When I processed this shot, I removed most of the imperfections on the blossom. I left one noticeable one, though, as a symbol of the physical imperfection which cut his life, and his photography too short.
So if the photo isn't perfect, and it isn't, just think about how that is true too, with people.