Archive for May, 2010

Well I was poised to add another blog today about another subject when I received an email and learned about the death of Ken Gehle, a fellow photographer out of Atlanta,  just shy of his 47th birthday.  Although I did not know him personally, I knew his work well and the loss comes as a shock. Perhaps the shock is due largely to the fact that I see the similarities in our lives and it hits a little too close to home.  He too had a wife and 2 children, one boy and one girl, just as I do, and we both had similar styles and passions in life as well as our photography.  A battle with cancer took him from his family and already having a melanoma myself when I was 27, I understand that cancer can strike anyone at any time.  So naturally, when I heard the news, it caused me to reflect on my own mortality, and on what truly matters in life.

First and foremost I want to share Ken’s website with you, where proceeds from print sales will go towards his kids college education  http://www.kengehle.com .     From his landscapes of Newfoundland to his environmental portraits of everyday people, his work was beautiful, clean, and of the highest quality.  I myself would visit his website from time to time to seek inspiration in my ow work.

The unfortunate news conjured up various thoughts.  What about the the longevity of my photography and more importantly, it’s ability to earn income for my family, if I were to meet a similar fate.  The reality is, if I were to suddenly die today, my computer would gather dust, the 12 external hard drives with over 6 terabytes of images would become paper weights, and the filing cabinets full of transparencies would remain in the dark.  Like most photographers, I can be very controlling when it comes to my work and therefore am the only one who really knows the system, what images are where, and how to access them, so the reality of my photography living on and having the ability to earn residual income as stock photography or prints for my family, is remote.

While the thought of it can be depressing it raises a more fundamental question, which is what is my true worth?  As artists we put our hearts and souls into our work and it very much can define us.  We value it more than any client is capable of doing because to them it is utilized to gain a result or profit, but to us it is often an expression of who we are and how we feel.  But when it is all said and done, they are just images, it was just work, and a means to supporting a family and although I would like to commit to having a plan for my work to live on in the event of a tragedy, perhaps my time would be better spent enjoying time with my wife and kids so instead of my images living on, the memories of me in their lives will be what endures.

I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for Ken to fight everyday knowing that sooner or later the cancer would take him from his family.  I can’t comprehend how heart wrenching it must have been for his wife and children to witness it.   What I do know is that it is very easy to get caught up in the every day and let work take over our lives.  I am very fortunate to make a living doing what I love, but in the end it is a job that will cease the very second that I do and there will be plenty to take my place.   The memories that I create and the love that I give to my wife and kids however will live as long as they do and my role in my family is unique to me and not one that is easily replaced.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Ken’s family and I thank him for  producing work during his time that was inspirational and for reminding me how  fragile life can be.

For no other reason than this past weekends Kentucky Derby got me thinking about Horses and Kentucky, where I spent many days of my youth having grown up right across the river in Cincinnati,  I thought I would share some images of a Horse Farm I photographed in Paris, Kentucky back in November.  Siena Farms recently converted an old cattle farm into a breath taking horse farm with striking yellow stables and is dedicated to breeding and raising world class race horses.  Here are a couple images from the photo shoot.

If you are ever driving on interstate 75 through Kentucky and can afford to take 30 or so minutes off your drive, veer off to the East around Lexington and get ready to see some beautiful rolling hills, breathtaking horse farms, and a truly unique and history rich part of our country.