ForeverMissed
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September 6, 2016

Whne I first started in the San Diego DSLR club, I thought I knew how to shoot pictures and hold a camera. It wasn't long before I learned how wrong I was. It was a person like Andy who really helped me to become the phtoographer that I am today by simply teaching me to look around and see what is going on around me. It could be a series of cracks in the pavement, a light meter, a vast landscape, a carboard cutout. There is always something to see, but you must look to find it.

Even today as our club walks around in some of our familiar haunts. I still see him tapping me on the should and telling me to shoot that, Facebook came up and reminded me that his birthday is coming up and I found some old photos from 2009-2011 groupshoots that I have added in photos area. Happy B-day friend and please by all means keep helping me see interesting things to capture in my camera. 

Birthday trip

April 3, 2016

It was my brother's 50th birthday and we had to convince my Darling to go to Maui with us...Mom, Todd, Heather and Me.  Andy finally decided to go, after much convincing, and he truly opened up whilst in Maui - he showed our family the side I knew and loved.  Every morning we would grab a cup of coffee at the hotel lobby and watch the clouds move out and sun make it's appearance.  Sunsets in the same spots every night.  It truly was a magical trip for all.  I miss our Sundays and I miss my Darling - this picture is a true reminder of that wonderful trip.

March 16, 2016

I first met Andy at one of the San Diego dslr Photography group shoots some 8-9 years ago.  At first I thought he was a bit weird.  He would lay on the ground, it didn't matter where, sometimes on the sidewalk, in the street, in the dirt, wherever, and point his camera at what appeared to be nothing and take pictures.  

I'd see his pictures posted later on the website and think, "Wow.  This guy has a great eye!"  So at the next group shoot, I'd kinda follow after him without him knowing it and tried to take the same pictures he did, but they never came out as awesome as his.  He had an amazing eye and was so creative with his photography.  

After I got to know him better, I no longer thought he was weird, just really talented.  I always  knew when he got that 'perfect' shot as he'd get up off the ground with that little mischevious smile and walk away with that little strut of his.  He was such a great guy.  We miss him very much....

Remembering Andy

March 11, 2016

When I met Andy and Shawn, I knew right away that we were kindred spirits. I knew right away that we were peeps from the same bolt of fabric. It didn't take long for me to glue myself to Andy's elbow at the group shoots. He would always see the stuff that I didn't see, and point out the cool angle or shot that I would have missed. It also didn't take long for Shawn and Andy to embed into my heart in a big way. When I would see them in the distance, my heart would swell with love. I could actually feel my heart enlarging in my chest. We always had a great time together.

 Andy always meant fun to me. He was my favorite subject to photograph. The disorted fisheye photo in the slideshow is just one image that shows Andy's playful nature. I can remember us goofing around and him telling me to get real close with a fisheye lens and see what happens. Ok, so I stuck my camera up close to his face, and of course he cooperated in the fun. You could always tell when Andy got a interesting shot that he was happy with as he would walk away with a bit of bouncy hitch in his step and a sly smile on his face.

 There is another image in the slideshow when we were on a downtown group shoot. There was a guy from a video recording studio at a starbucks that we stopped at. Andy struck up a conversation with this guy and you can see from the captured image that they were having fun. Everyone liked Andy and strangers intuitively knew he was a good guy. Another time when we were along the embarcadero, a homeless guy struck up a conversation with Andy finding out they were both retired servicemen. Andy was very generous with this man and this is just one instance of how Andy showed compassion and unity.

 One thing that will always warm my heart is the way Andy said my name. He put emphasis on the LAAA but didn't end there, he put emphasis on the REEE too. LaaaaaReeeee is the way he said my name. My parents would have loved it. It was truly a production when he said it. No one has ever said my name with such flare the way Andy did, and I don't believe anyone else ever will.

 We all miss Andy and will forever. I wish us all the ability to one day reckon with the pain of losing Andy and to bask in the blessing of having him enrich our lives in the time we had with him. I know I will always hold Andy in my heart and I am sure you will too.

 

 

 

This video is worth a thousand words

March 11, 2016

http://www.urgephotos.com/Video/Family/i-4pdwGNN

Andy - "Just messing around bowling with my Kinect. Taken with 5DmkII and 15mm Fisheye. Perspective is off (the TV is 65" and I'm about 9' away from it). I wanted to fuss around with Stop Motion type stuff; In Corel Video Studio Pro X3 I speed the play back to 400% faster and tried Motion Strobe (which I haven't quite figured out yet). Music was auto generated by Video Studio Pro X3."


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