Oh No...Thank You

One of the main reason I took the job with Kodak Profession, a few moons ago, was the prospect of dealing with students and educators, and in this man, I hit the Mother-load.

Peter LeGrand has been the principle photo educator at the prestigious Colombia College in Chicago for longer than he cares to admit. He has steered more young people into and away from careers in Photography that I can begin to count.  He is himself a photographer and artist of no small acclaim. Teaching workshop in France and around for many a year.

I tease him sometimes because of his age and his stubbornness to retire, when in fact I only hope that at 72, I have just the smallest hope of hope to look as young and healthy as he.


The odd thing about this session was that he was so grateful to have me shoot his image and it was I who was honored to be doing it. 


Thank you Peter, my dear friend. 

Out...Standing, Out...Rageous...

This is Marc Hauser.  For years now, he has been one of the absolute top names in Portraiture in this country.  I've said this before but his life is a book waiting to be written.  It's just that I'm not writing it here. 


On my recent trip to Chicago I imposed on Marc to sit for me.  It almost never happened because a recent accident left him at the mercy of decent transportation that would allow for his crushed leg to be properly maneuvered without distress. 


I don't know if his injury or something else prevented him from really letting go but I felt he was holding back.  I have seen him perform antics that would embarrass most people, just to get a rise out of his subject.  As I browsed his Face Book pages, I saw many a zany, crazed, totally loose Marc Hauser but none of that was available the day we shot.


I'll be the first to admit, this isn't my best work, maybe I was a little intimidated by his superiority. 

Personally, I think he should charge people to meet with him. He can be the most off the cuff person you might ever meet.  A showman and an eccentric, he still commands the room.  On the other hand, if you ever catch him in a quiet moment, he can be as sweet as anyone.


I'm grateful that he gave me an audience and his patience, though I hope someday we can reprise this opportunity on a day when his full personality is in bloom.