It's been that long since my father passed. Yet I get to see my dad, “Pops”, every day, even though he’s been gone that long.
It was 1989 and I’d just graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography. We were together and, of course, I asked if I could make his portrait. He was happy (and proud) to pose for me. At the time, I had no idea how much this portrait would mean to me in the years to come. I was just happy that it came out okay.
As I've gotten older, the feeling that pictures/portraits are uniquely the best way to remember people, has only grown stronger. When I have the opportunity to work with an extended family, the senior parents are always the toughest to get to pose (unless the grandkids are egging them on!). But I usually suggest that a quiet pose with just the two of them will provide a very special legacy portrait to be remembered by (and not some crappy cellphone shot). Then I share my story of the portrait of my Pop. It does the trick every time.
I truly love being a photographer and this portrait, the one of Pop, is by far the most significant one that I’ve ever made. It reminds me that Legacy Portraits are important, timeless and meaningful. Not so much at the time that they’re created, but over time the significance grows. This image of my father brings back so many great memories. It’s like he’s right here with me.
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