Storytelling with pictures - “What impels me to click the shutter is not what things look like but what they mean.” - Jack Delano, FSA Photographer
One of the great all-time stories is Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird." A wonderful book that, in 1962, was made into a marvelous motion picture starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham. Before video tapes and DVD's, we always had to wait for the show to air on network television, usually around October of every year. My mom and I had a standing date to watch it together. It became a great tradition, one that my daughter and I continue to carry on through the years, even though we're miles and miles apart. As a tribute to the art of the story, I've included the main title theme from "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Elmer Bernstein on this page. I've always liked a good story. We were read to often when I was growing up and consequently, I became an avid reader. When I was in middle school in the 1960's, I discovered another way to tell stories. At our house we had an old bakelite Brownie Hawkeye camera that was used to take virtually all of our family pictures. I began to carry this camera with me on occasion when we went places. When I entered high school, I convinced my parents that I was serious about photography. With my dad's approval, mom took me to a camera store in a nearby shopping center and purchased for me my first "real' camera, a Yashica Electro 35.
Growing up in our home, my mother was determined to document as much of our lives as possible. The old Brownie was broken out when we were just having fun around the house and on special occasions. Birthdays, Christmas, Easter of which I'm so grateful. After pictures were taken, the next time we were out going to the grocery store or the laundromat, we'd drop the film at the Rexall Drug Store or Walgreen's for processing. Back then it could take up to a week to get your pictures back.
I was a naturally curious kid and would occasionally embark on archeological expeditions throughout the house, going through drawers and cabinets to see what I could find. If mom or dad saw me rummaging through things they'd ask,"What are you looking for?" My reply was usually, "Nothing." I was just looking. Among the interesting things I would come across were packets of black and white photos and negatives in those old yellow Kodak envelopes in a drawer or cardboard box. I would often end up sitting down in the floor or lying across my bed and going through them. Even at that early age, I had an appreciation for what they recorded. It was life . . . our life . . . It was important.
Each photo here has a story. As you dig through the "boxes and drawers" in the Life Gallery and sub-galleries, I want to invite you "sit on the floor with me" and go through these pictures. Imagine your own narrative that might accompany the images you see here. What kind of story would you write? Please use the Comments Room page and tell me your story. I look forward to hearing from you.
By the way (You knew it was coming) this is my shameless promotional section of the website. Let me know if you're interested in purchasing any photos presented here, let's talk. Thanks again.
Awards
Thirteen-time first place winner in the Enhanced Photography and Computer Graphics categories representing UT Southwestern in the Dallas city-wide On My Own Time (OMOT) art contest sponsored by the North Texas Business Council for the Arts.
One time "Best-in-Show" award in the OMOT competition for the work entitled "The Commute."
Grand prize winner in the 2012 White Rock Lake Conservancy photo contest.
First place winner and Honorable Mention in the 2013 White Rock Lake Conservancy photo contest.
Honorable Mention - Dallas Morning News State Fair of Texas Photo Contest - 2013.
Honorable Mention - Dallas Morning News State Fair of Texas Photo Contest - 2015.
Growing up in our home, my mother was determined to document as much of our lives as possible. The old Brownie was broken out when we were just having fun around the house and on special occasions. Birthdays, Christmas, Easter of which I'm so grateful. After pictures were taken, the next time we were out going to the grocery store or the laundromat, we'd drop the film at the Rexall Drug Store or Walgreen's for processing. Back then it could take up to a week to get your pictures back.
I was a naturally curious kid and would occasionally embark on archeological expeditions throughout the house, going through drawers and cabinets to see what I could find. If mom or dad saw me rummaging through things they'd ask,"What are you looking for?" My reply was usually, "Nothing." I was just looking. Among the interesting things I would come across were packets of black and white photos and negatives in those old yellow Kodak envelopes in a drawer or cardboard box. I would often end up sitting down in the floor or lying across my bed and going through them. Even at that early age, I had an appreciation for what they recorded. It was life . . . our life . . . It was important.
Each photo here has a story. As you dig through the "boxes and drawers" in the Life Gallery and sub-galleries, I want to invite you "sit on the floor with me" and go through these pictures. Imagine your own narrative that might accompany the images you see here. What kind of story would you write? Please use the Comments Room page and tell me your story. I look forward to hearing from you.
By the way (You knew it was coming) this is my shameless promotional section of the website. Let me know if you're interested in purchasing any photos presented here, let's talk. Thanks again.
Awards
Thirteen-time first place winner in the Enhanced Photography and Computer Graphics categories representing UT Southwestern in the Dallas city-wide On My Own Time (OMOT) art contest sponsored by the North Texas Business Council for the Arts.
One time "Best-in-Show" award in the OMOT competition for the work entitled "The Commute."
Grand prize winner in the 2012 White Rock Lake Conservancy photo contest.
First place winner and Honorable Mention in the 2013 White Rock Lake Conservancy photo contest.
Honorable Mention - Dallas Morning News State Fair of Texas Photo Contest - 2013.
Honorable Mention - Dallas Morning News State Fair of Texas Photo Contest - 2015.