by Skip Cohen

Throwback Thursday's fun is in two parts - First, there are the memories old photographs bring back. Second is the never-ending reminder of the important role photography plays in our lives. It's been eight months since most of us hunkered down, and spending a little more time looking in the rearview mirror has become a welcome change from the Covid-19 reports and politics - or for that matter, just about anything in the news!

The year is 1985, and Polaroid was a sponsor of an IMG event that turned the rodeo into team sports for two years. While many of us aren't in strong rodeo markets, if I remember my numbers, the rodeo was right up there with NASCAR when it came to popularity and attendance. IMG's push to get Polaroid involved was based on the fact there was a huge segment of the market the company's advertising just didn't reach.

For two seasons, I was the manager of Polaroid's rodeo team. The cowboys on each team contributed to their sponsor's points, and at the same time, maintained their individual standing with the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.) leading up to the Nationals.

If you follow rodeo, some very special cowboys were on our team. Right next to me, I'm the knucklehead with his eyes closed, is a bull-riding champion, Tuff Hedeman. He won the world championships three times, not mention dozens of other accomplishments over the years. You might also know a little more about him if you saw the movie "8 Seconds."  It's the story of bull-riding champion Lane Frost, played by Luke Perry. One of Frost's best friends was Tuff, who in the movie was played by Stephen Baldwin.

Next to Tuff are Bud and Jimmie Monroe. They're both national champions; Bud as a saddle bronc rider and Jimmie as a barrel racer. And right behind Jimmie is Rod Lyman, who was also a national champion steer wrestler, and president of the PRCA for many years.

Every industry has its champions, not just because of their personal achievements but their support of their industry and local communities. I may not remember everybody's name in the group above, but I sure remember their attitude and love for the sport. I went into the assignment, not knowing anything about the rodeo, and came out totally impressed with the athletic ability and each member of the team's outlook on life - not to mention so many great memories. It was simply a great group of people, and always focused on giving back.

So, when you look back on your career, what are some of the more random and out-of-the-ordinary things you've done?

Meanwhile, one of the best lessons I learned is that when the cowboys start practicing backflips off the barstools, it's time to go home! 

​Happy Throwback Thursday! Take the time to wander down Memory Lane. These days you don't have to go back very far to find moments that will make you smile.

by Skip Cohen
 
I've used that Jodi Picoult quote at least a dozen times, but I have yet to find one more appropriate when it comes to looking at photographs. Here's the short backstory:

Sheila and I moved to Florida in 2011. My Dad was 89, and although he had help, he was still alone most of the time, dealing with my mother's Alzheimer's. It was the one time in my life I could live anywhere there was a computer. Sheila supported the idea, and took an early retirement from Akron Children's Hospital. We got out of Ohio and moved to Sarasota, six miles away from my folks.

At least once a week, we'd take Mom out for ice cream, and she loved riding in the convertible. I had a Solara, which was perfect for her, Sheila, Dad, and a caregiver. The minute we got her into the car, she never stopped smiling.

The pandemic has changed everything in our lives, but NOT our ability to appreciate those moments that made us smile. And while everything wasn't "perfect" at the time, looking back, it's one of the moments that bring back the pure joy and blessing of having both my parents still around. I used to say; there aren't many guys my age with their parents still living, let alone parents I liked being with!

It's Throwback Thursday, and odds are you've got a little downtime - use it wisely and find a few old pictures that make you smile. It's a perfect break from the negativity that seems to surround us a little each day. And share those images on your blog - they're the ideal marketing tool to remind Mom it's time for a new family portrait. The pandemic hasn't slowed down the growth of the kids!

by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday, and we're turning the clock back to 1987 and one of the very best educational tours ever presented in our industry, Dean Collins' World Tour.

Continuing with my quest during the pandemic, cleaning files and drawers, I found a stash of Hasselblad's newsletters. This was an article in the fall issue, but the fun of throwbacks is all about everything else on Memory Lane they bring to the surface.

Dean's tour brought together three great companies, Hasselblad, Sinar Bron, and Kodak. And along with the business relationships came some incredible friendships. This is where my long time good buddy Tony Corbell came into the picture, and along with Dean, there's so much we'd work on together over the next decade and more. 

Dean passed away in 2005, and there's rarely a week that goes by that I don't think about what he'd do in so many different situations today. He became an incredibly good friend, and in a way found immortality in the stories and memories so many of us have and share.
 
​Take the time at least once a week to look in your rearview mirror. It's one of the best ways to appreciate your growth as an artist and the changes in technology and the industry!

by Skip Cohen


The fun of Throwback Thursday goes a lot deeper than just appreciating old photographs. Sometimes an image connects the past, along with a lot of different people and events.

With the pandemic's downtime, I've spent a lot of time cleaning closets, opening old boxes, and digging through file drawers. While the purpose was to get more organized, the result has been a never-ending discovery of old memories.

In a collection of photographs from my Dad's things, I found the image on the right. It's me at age 5 at daycare. At that time, my mother was helping my Dad build his business, and I'd be dropped off at "Mrs. Schlee's" every day. She had a half dozen kids she took care of and a swing set in the backyard.

But the part of the memory that hits home the hardest is being afraid of her dog. I think the dog's name was Lady, and she was a lovable mutt, but I was scared to death of her. Whenever it came time to play outside, if the dog was out in the yard, I'd climb up on the swing set and just stay there.

I remember one time being so afraid of the dog, and refusing to come down that I wet my pants!
For all I know, Mrs. Schlee took this picture to say to my parents, "I don't know what to do with your kid!"

It's bizarre for me to think about how afraid I used to be of dogs. I don't recall any traumatic event in my life that created my fear of dogs, with one exception - my mother was deathly afraid of them, and it took years for us to get a dog in the family. So, I'm guessing it was her fears that were the foundation for mine. 

Nothing beats Throwback Thursday's for those great looks in your rearview mirror. Whether you share them on your blog or just enjoy them for your own walk down Memory Lane - take the time and go on your own hunt. It's not only a great reminder of the industry we're all a part of, but it's a kick to take a break from politics and the pandemic!

by Skip Cohen

Not to suggest my usual throwbacks aren't qualified, but there's a difference when you're turning back the clock in your life versus 150 years ago!  

This print is from some time around 1870. It's my wife's great grandparents. Sheila's grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee, and I shared her portrait in a blog post several years ago. What's interesting about this image is what was printed on the back:

"Milton Baker & Indian wife - Martha Tredway father."

The Indian wife's name was Kitty Gentry, and Martha Tredway was her daughter and Sheila's grandmother. Whoever wrote on the back of the print chose not to even mention Kitty's name! But there's more to the backstory.  In later years, there was a fight between family members over how to spell "Tredway" or "Treadway." As the story goes, "Supposedly Grandma Martha has no headstone because the family couldn't agree on spelling their last name. But I'm guessing it was because they were too cheap!" 

​The print we have is about two inches square and was probably copied from the original, but technology is a kick. The scan came out exceptionally good with a minor tweak for sharpness in Luminar.

I've always been a fan of Throwback Thursday, but these days, looking at old photographs has become even more important to me because of the pandemic. Old photos underscore the importance of telling stories and being able to appreciate that occasional look in your rearview mirror. 

It also hits hard on the responsibility you have to your clients to never compromise on an image's quality. Think about your work today and how it's going to be shared years after you're gone, or for that matter, the subject you photographed is gone. For example, Tim and Beverly Walden don't just create stunning portraits, but family heirlooms that right from the beginning are meant to be so outstanding that they're handed down from generation to generation.

Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it.
It's what a customer gets out of it.
Peter Drucker

Take the time today and wander through your old photographs. Then share them on your blog. They're the perfect marketing tool to remind your audience that it's time for a new family portrait! Just because they're hunkered down, doesn't mean the kids have stopped growing!

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

Maybe it's the pandemic or just aging, but there are times when NOTHING beats looking at old photographs. It doesn't get any better than the walk I'm taking down Memory Lane right now.

I recently found the proof-print above, and I have no idea where we were or why, but it redefines friendship, love, and support - Four best friends, Terry Deglau, Tony Corbell, me and Don Blair. I've looked at it so often since finding it that I think I might have shared it many years ago in another blog post. 

They were the three musketeers, and then I came along in 1987 when I joined Hasselblad. It was shot in 1994, although I don't know who the photographer was. I'm guessing it was Don's son Gary or one his other "Numbs." Don used to refer to all of us as "Numb Nuts," and I still have a polo shirt embroidered with "Numb 1," I wear with great pride.

I remember a bunch of us at Don's wife Donna's funeral. We had all gone back to the church, where lunch was served to at least 200 people. Six of us were sitting with Don when a buddy of his walked by, and he yelled, "Hey, Numb Nuts!" In unison, we all turned and said, "What!"
 
Don passed away in 2004 and Terry last year, and it's hard to find the words to explain how much I miss them both. But here's the most wonderful thing about the business we're in - we give people, including ourselves, the ability to take intangible moments and turn them into memories we can hold in our hands and cherish for a lifetime.

I've often referred to myself as one of the luckiest guys in this industry...those three knuckleheads above are a big part of why I feel so blessed. Between Tony and me, I'm betting we could do a Don Blair and Terry Deglau story marathon that would go on for days!

Take the time today and go off in search of a few old photographs. You'll be amazed at how uplifting, even though sometimes bittersweet, those memories will be.

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

​Even with business starting to pick up a little, we're all going to have a little downtime still, here and there. Well, it's Throwback Thursday, and part of the fun of the concept is the hunt for old images. It's the perfect way to remind yourself how much photography means and use a little of that downtime.

I found this shot of my grandfather in a batch of old photographs from around 1910-1920. And while it's at least a hundred years old, check out everything from his tweed suit, complete with vest and skinny pants, to the cigar in his hand and the pose.

There's that expression, what goes around comes around. He'd be in perfect style today - just take off the straw hat. 

My grandfather smoked cigars most of his life, and one day decided to quit - cold turkey around 1959. He continued to put the money away he'd typically spend on a box of cigars and a few years later took my grandmother on vacation to Mexico!

It's so easy to let the stress of the pandemic grind you down, but stay focused on the career path you chose to be a photographer. You're magicians who turn intangible moments into tangible memories your clients can hold in their hands and cherish forever!

Physical distancing makes it tougher right now to work with the same creative freedom you have in the past, but that doesn't mean people don't still have memories to capture!

by Skip Cohen
 
As bizarre as this might sound, there is one fun aspect to the pandemic - with so much downtime old friends regularly surface, and it's fun to catch up!

Meet an old friend, Helmut Horn. We met in the '90s when he bought Ansel Adams' '77 Cadillac through a Hasselblad fundraiser. A few months later, he called me "Chicken" because I was afraid to get my scuba certification. He kept on me, and thanks to his support, I got my certification at Cheeca Lodge in the Keys, early the following year.

That one event changed my life and introduced me to an experience and hobby, unlike no other. Through Helmut, I met other divers, friends from the industry, and my first trips with Tom Danielson and Bob Rose - two of my best buddies to this day. Their names are in my logbooks through at least 300 dives over the years.

When I spoke with Helmut a few weeks ago, we talked about one of the biggest scuba challenges - getting all your photography gear on a dive trip. The shot above is Helmut and his friend Peter Kühn with their combined camera and lighting gear.

Remember, unlike today's lightweight camera gear, this was all back in the film days. Housings, lights, and even the brackets were heavy.

Helmut's introduction of the ocean into my life resulted in dozens of trips over the years all over the world. The shot above was to Cocos Island - 36 hours by boat from Costa Rica. I refer to the trip as the "most fun I don't think I want to do again," but incredible nonetheless. Strong currents and definitely for advanced diving, each dive kept you on your toes. It wasn't relaxed, but unbelievable to be an observer and in the water with thousands of sharks who had no interest in us at all. It's an experience I cherish and one that few people can relate to.

A typical dive would be to follow the mooring line down to a section of the reef and then grab a rock to hang on to and watch the hammerheads swim in and pause at a cleaning station. Dozens of tiny butterflyfish would come and eat the parasites off the sharks. Essentially it was the equivalent of nature's car wash for sharks. 

I found the very short video below, captured with Panasonic's LUMIX cameras. In fact, there's one shot of a GH5 in the video, one of my favorite cameras in the LUMIX line. Click on the thumbnail for more info

I figured I might as well add a little entertainment to today's post. As with any place we've traveled, it's a kick to be back, even though it's only in video. It's a definite reminder of the importance of staying healthy, getting through the pandemic, and back to a time with friends and trips like this!

Take time to wander through your archives and find a memory that makes you smile. Between old photographs and talking to friends, there's no better therapy to help you stay positive during downtime!

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

​The fun of Throwback Thursday is finding old photographs and memories that simply make us laugh. The less than fun part is admitting you have no idea, whatsoever, when or where the memories were made! And to all of my old friends in the image, if somebody remembers why we were all together, please share.

I know it was captured in the mid to late 90s, and on film with an Olympus Stylus. It was always a signature moment at Hasselblad when we'd all be together, and one of us would put the Stylus on self-timer and place it on the ground - everybody knew to huddle around.

We've all got time on our hands these days, and I've found looking at old photographs, especially the ones I find from the film days, bring back so many smiles. It's also a great way to keep in touch with friends who have slipped away over the years.

And for those of you who don't want to fool with rotating the image, here it is in the other direction. 

Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen

It's a very different Throwback Thursday post this week, but so appropriate.

Glen Clark and I have been friends since we first met close to thirty years ago through another mutual friend, Terry Deglau, then at Kodak. We've worked together on a long list of projects, and he's one of a small group of buddies who's high on the call list when I need a lift. 

He sent me the post below, and I'm ecstatic he's allowed me to share it here. It's Throwback Thursday, and these days none of us have to turn the clock back very far for the fun of old photographs and a walk down Memory Lane. 

During the last five months of downtime, one of the most popular activities for every photographer has been cleaning out our closets. As I look at my own collection of photographs over the years, I'm a perfect candidate for a show on hoarding. I have an attic full of prints, many of them framed that will never see the light of day - but we're out of wall space!

Glen's dealing with a challenge we can all identify with - letting go of the footprints from our journey to make room for new ones. And the reason it's so hard? Jodi Picoult's quote, which I've shared numerous times says it all:

by Skip Cohen

Throwback Thursdays are even more fun when your friends send you old images. I just got an IM from Clay Blackmore who found this image in his files, and it's a pretty special photograph.
 
He photographed five of us in the Hasselblad booth at what was then called Photo East, now PPE, in 1992. Clay sending it to me is a perfect example of the fun of the friendships we share in this industry, but something else makes the photograph special.

Bengt Förssbaeck, in the middle, was Hasselblad's worldwide VP of Marketing. We lost Bengt to cancer a year or two after I left Hasselblad in 1999. We were both incredibly passionate about marketing and the company. Over the years, the fights we had in Board meetings became legendary, but so did our friendship. We were the very best of friends, and there's rarely a week that goes by that something doesn't come up to remind me how much I miss him.
 
One more great thing about this photograph - in the middle of the pandemic, it's important to look in your rearview mirror and not forget the goal to get back to the good old days. We're all dealing with a new norm, but being self-quarantined makes those walks down Memory Lane even more valuable.

And, if you're a family photographer, use Throwback Thursday as a way to promote the importance of capturing memories. Share older photographs on your blog as a way to remind Mom the pandemic isn't slowing down the kids growing up, and the importance of a new family portrait.

Happy Throwback Thursday!​

by Skip Cohen

The fun of Throwback Thursday for me is never knowing what I'm going to find when I start my search for old images and memories.

Today I stumbled on something I'd completely forgotten about - a small box of treasure filled with twenty jump drives. It was a collection of events in my life over the last twenty years. I wasted a couple of hours just wandering through images, articles, material for three different books, Skip's Summer School material and scans of various documents. 

In 2008 we started a business forum in Rangefinder Magazine and I was a contributor.  I grabbed a screen shot of my article for that month which was also a teaser for an upcoming program at WPPI 2009. Here's the article:

My first paragraph says it all: ..."the economy has turned everybody's business upside down...there are some terrific opportunities and it's all about diversity."

Well, here we are in 2020 and caught in the middle of an incredible storm - the pandemic. Everybody's business is "upside down," with many of you still caught in analysis paralysis trying to figure out how to rebuild and get your revenue stream started again.

The key to survival today is in diversity and your skill set. It's going to take a level of creativity you never thought possible to get things going in a positive direction again. But business is out there for artists willing to step outside their comfort zone. It's the only place growth can happen!

by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday and now and then I like to step away from the memories of old photographs and instead find early concepts I've shared in blog posts.

Seven years ago, my good buddy Scott Bourne wrote the post below about using your phone. At that time, picking up a phone and making a call was in the shadows of texting, email, and social media in general. Many of you didn't have a phone number even listed on your website. Well, the new norm has changed all that and made the phone one of your best tools for helping your business.

Talking to a client directly is second only to the benefits of meeting with them in person, which these days can be minimal. And a phone call, especially when you're not hard-selling anything, is perfect for helping maintain relationships important to sustaining your brand and reputation.

So, why not start today and set a goal of ten clients or friends a day you're going to call and just ask, "I'm just checking up on people I care about - how are you guys doing?" It really is that simple, and the phone is a great way to keep in touch!​

Scott Bourne should be on your radar. Check out more great content and wisdom by visiting his blog, Picture Methods.

by Scott Bourne
​
This may come as a shock to some of you, but in the old days, not one single professional photographer on the planet had a Facebook account. Nor did they have a Flickr account, a blog, a website, an e-mail address or anything else that involved being "on line." Yep I know, I know, hard to conceive. But it's absolutely true. And in keeping with my status as "older than dirt" I know this is true because I was actually there!

Truth be told, I've spent more of my life operating without the Internet than WITH the Internet. I've sold more photographs, licensed more images, booked more shoots using the telephone than the Internet. Now here's the good news. The telephone still exists. Oh you don't hear about it very often, but yep, I checked. It's still there. You can get one just about anywhere. And you no longer need to rely on a lady named "Ma Bell" to pick one up.

Yes, the magical telephone still works and in my opinion, still has great value. So today's Marketing Monday tip is short and sweet. Get a telephone number, plaster that puppy everywhere. Use it. Share it. Actually answer it. Talk to people. It's an amazing thing. You can hear the happiness or sadness or joy or suspicion or whatever in the other person's voice. You don't have to rely on emoticons! You can just ask people how they are feeling, what they need, and they will tell you! Crazy right?

You should put your telephone number on every single piece of marketing material you hand out. And you should put it on your website, your blog, your social media accounts (at least the ones you use for business) and you should do so today! 

People still use the telephone. They really do. Maybe not ALL people. But enough to warrant you investing in one, promoting the number and responding promptly to every single call, period. 

I know what you're thinking. "But Scott if I put a telephone number on my website people will call me!" Yes! Isn't it wonderful? Clients and prospects will call and try to give you money. It's like magic. Give it a try. Really. 

As always, Skip and I are rooting for you. ​

by Skip Cohen

​One cure for the pandemic blues is a trip down Memory Lane. Going off in search of old photographs always makes me smile. And these days you don't have to turn the clock back very far to get to the good old days.

It's 2009 at PPE and my first convention after leaving RF Publishing and WPPI. That's me, Tony Corbell and Nick Vedros in the always popular Vedros superhero pose. It was a great convention, and Sheila's first really big introduction to the industry.

But the best part was being in NYC with nothing to do but play tourist. We walked the show, caught up to so many good friends, and then snuck out to see New York. Think about all the conventions you've ever been to - rarely is there time just to enjoy the sights. 

Times Square at night, the top of the Empire State Building, walking Fifth Avenue, a carriage ride through Central Park - you name it, we were tourists! We had a blast because it was my first time in New York for several days with minimal business to do.

Take the time to take your own trip down Memory Lane. Look for those moments that make you smile, and then be as patient as you can - memory-making days aren't over, just buried under today's stress in dealing with the new norm.

Happy Throwback Thursday!

by Skip Cohen
 
I shared this on my wife's birthday a few years ago, but our tenth wedding anniversary is coming up on Monday. And it's Throwback Thursday, so it's the right time to wish my honey Happy Anniversary a few days early.

This is the third grade at Clyde C. Hadden Elementary in Ohio. We went all through grade school, junior high, and high school together but were never friends. She was a cheerleader, and I was a nerd - just didn't travel in the same circles. The friendship kicked off at our 40th high school reunion.

Surprisingly, at least one notable event made history, besides being right on top of Don Shula's hometown. When JFK ran for election, Painesville, Ohio, was a stop on the tour. He spoke from the restaurant's rooftop next door, and we were all gathered outside the school to watch and listen.

And if by some dumb chance of luck you recognize anybody besides the two of us, let me know. We've got a few faces in there neither of us can remember.

As always, take a look in your rearview mirror at least once a week. It helps cut a little of the insanity we're feeling with the pandemic. It's no fun being hunkered down, but now and then a trip down Memory Lane makes a difference.

And to my bride...Happy Anniversary! There's nobody I'd rather be stuck in a pandemic with. There's no boredom in this house. 

Happy Throwback Thursday, everybody!

PS Feel free to share any shot of you age twelve or younger! Come on, gang, let's have some laughs with your old school pics. Besides, most of you know where they are, having found them while cleaning a closet during all this downtime. 

​by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday, and I'm covering a lot of ground and years, all built on a foundation of humor. So, from Portland to Sedona and 1978 to 2005, Mark Twain's quote above couldn't be more appropriate!

In 1978 Mike Ryerson captured the image on the right. It's a shot of Bud Clark, who later became mayor of Portland, Oregon. "By 1984, the year Clark was elected mayor, Ryerson had sold more than 250,000 posters,[2] with profits supporting The Northwest Neighbor.[3]" (From Wikipedia) It remains one of my favorite posters/photographs.

The concept came back in 2005 when Bob Coates went to work photographing a calendar featuring Sedona artists. The image above was the cover shot for the Sedona "Naked Calendar." And the composite below is proof of Bob's ability to walk the talk!

​Whether you share throwback images on your blog, or enjoy them for yourself, take the time to hunt down some memory-makers. None of us can change the challenges created by the pandemic, but a fun look in your rearview mirror just might be the perfect way to start the day.

And as far as a sense of humor being a blessing, so is having buddies like Bob!

Intro by Skip Cohen
 
It's Throwback Thursday, and I usually turn back the clock exclusively to old images or videos. But this morning, wandering through my archives, I found one of my favorite guest posts from my good buddy, Scott Bourne. I've shared it a couple of times over the last few years.

Scott and I go back a lot of years to my Hasselblad days, later to helping me launch Skip's Summer School, then writing a book together and a never-ending stream of projects and new ideas year after year.

In 2012, while at Summer School, Bobbi Lane did her best to get the two of us to be serious for a portrait session. She was successful, but only for a minimal time!

The post below is so relevant today. Life is very different for this year's graduates than it was when Scott first wrote this. However, as much as things change, to his point, the importance of relationship-building NEVER varies.

Most people see the challenges created by the pandemic as a liability, but for this year's graduates, I see opportunities. So many things in our lives have changed, giving this year's grads the ability to indeed be pioneers in virtually every field.

While business may have slowed down over the last few months in photography, we're all part of an industry that itself has never slowed down. More than ever before, your greatest marketing tool is relationship building! 

If you believe business is built on relationships, make building them your business.
Scott Stratten

 

by Skip Cohen
 
I know I'm not alone in taking long walks down Memory Lane lately. As the world goes mad, my "panic room" escape to safety has become old videos and archived images. It's the one place I can go to simply appreciate great memories. Now and then, all of us need to clear our heads and unplug from the news.

So, this morning I took a scroll through YouTube and found this short video of my Dad and me from six years ago. I might have even shared it a few years back for a previous Throwback Thursday, but who cares?

Remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? Ironically, one of the most popular fund-raisers in history was all done wrong - but it didn't matter.

​I teared up a little watching this. My Dad passed away a little over a year after this video, but the laughs we had that day live on forever.  Even though I know Dad's watching over us, it doesn't change how much I miss him. And nothing changes how grateful I am to have been Ralph Cohen's son. 

​I know I've abused this quote by Jodi Picoult so many times before, but it's the only one that fits:

Here's my advice for this Throwback Thursday: Whether you share your throwbacks or not, take the time for your own benefit and find a point to look back on. Find a moment in the past that makes you smile and your heart soar! 

​​Happy Throwback Thursday!

Jerry Ghionis is one of the finest educators in our industry. Check out his educational programs with a click on the banner below. 

by Skip Cohen

It's Throwback Thursday, and as I wandered through my files this morning, I realized I had never shared the image above from my buddy "Three Buffet Brian." Brian was in Japan in 2011, just after the Tsunami hit. He shared the backstory below. Click on the image to view in the SCU Lightbox. It's a pretty remarkable shot. 

Visit his website to see more of Brian's work.

by Brian David Casey
​
I photographed a wedding in the state of Washington in 2010 and the groom emailed me months later asking if I would be interested in photographing for him in Japan. It would be for a couple of private schools and an English language program. I said yes because it would be my first international photo shoot and it was in a country I really enjoyed visiting when I was younger.

Little did I know that there would be one of the biggest earthquakes and tsunamis ever to hit Japan just weeks before I would leave on my photo shoot. The Sendai airport I was flying into was on YouTube just weeks before. I left with a video showing the ground at the airport underwater from the tsunami. I was amazed at how quickly they were able to get some things going again. Although a number of restaurants were still shutdown around Sendai when I arrived, I was still able to do all the photography they needed.

When the weekend came, I had friends take me to the tsunami sites to witness the aftermath. One place we visited that really stands out to me was Kesennuma. It was one of the hardest hit towns (see photo above with the large ship in it) I had witnessed. 

What surprised me in my observations of the tsunami aftermath was the height the water had reached at its peak. Some areas had a run-up height of over 100 feet. Also, it was unreal to see some homes untouched while their neighbor across the street had their home swept away.

I have another assignment in Sendai in May. What may prevent me from going this time is not another tsunami but rather the coronavirus. 

I hope I get to return to such an amazing country that has the best hospitality, incredible food, friendly people, beautiful scenery, and a land full of new beginnings. 

​But that's only one part of today's throwback. Brian and I met when he attended Skip's Summer School in 2009, or 2010. When I left Rangefinder/WPPI in 2009 we did an intense summer program each year in Las Vegas and later in Chicago through 2013.

Brian was the first person I'd ever met to eat three meals one day at all three of the hotel's buffets. He's also one of those people we all hate, because of minimal body fat and his ability to eat just about anything. Well, the nickname "Three Buffet Brian" caught on.

​But the nickname wasn't the only thing that caught on. Social media has given us the ability to stay in touch, and over the years, the friendship also caught on.

Before the pandemic, Brian and his wife, Fawn, were here in Florida a few months ago. We went out for breakfast, which seemed like such an easy natural thing to do. Now, it feels like it was years ago. Life has changed so much because of the coronavirus.

And that's a part of what makes Throwback Thursdays so special for me. Photographs help me stay focused on the importance of great friendship and photography's contribution to the world. It's also like the light at the end of a long tunnel with a never-ending dream of this nightmare ending and life getting back to some level of normalcy.

We'll get through this together!

Wishing everybody a terrific Throwback Thursday - take the time and turn the clock back to a memory that makes you smile!