The Fun and Value of Great Throwbacks

"This is what I like about photographs. They're proof that once,
even if just for a heartbeat, everything was perfect." 
Jodi Picoult

by Skip Cohen

​I've used that quote above so many times over the years that I actually spoke with Jodi Picoult's publicist. I was hoping to convince her to join me on a podcast. Unfortunately, she was on a busy touring schedule and couldn't take the time, but at least I gave it a shot.

It's Throwback Thursday, and if you read Monday's post, this coming Halloween would be my Dad's 100th birthday. So while this is a Throwback post, it's more of a reminder about the value of photographs and your responsibility to give your clients the best with EVERY click of the shutter.

I pulled a few favorites out of my archives for the collage above: Dad's the little kid in the front around 1927, in basic training in North Dakota just before heading overseas (he's second from the bottom), me and Dad testing my Aunt Rose's Meyer lemons that she claimed were sweet, Dad with his favorite: onion rings, and winning best Halloween costume as Michelangelo's David in 2012.

But one of my most favorites is the one on the right. It was by Don Blair in the Hasselblad booth at IUSA in the mid-nineties. (You don't need a studio for outstanding portraiture!)

When I first saw the Polaroid proof (no digital back then), Dad was seated, and I was standing behind him. I hated the pose because my Dad was always the biggest guy in my life, and he looked small. So we switched places, and then Don put in his request for his signature thumbs-up shot.  

My Dad was always my best buddy, and while there are no words to describe how much I miss him, it's the photographs that fuel the memories and keep him right by my side. There's no sadness in today's post. Dad lived to 93 and passed away seven years ago, but what a great life he lived and what a unique role he played in mine.

Right now, I like to think he's hanging out with a bunch of old friends, including a few of mine. We recently lost Duncan MacNab, and I believe they're telling stories with Don Blair, Monte Zucker, Dean Collins, and so many more. They may no longer be with us, but their spirits and energy are around us every day - often thanks to the photos that bring back the memories.

Happy Throwback Thursday - Happy upcoming birthday to my Dad. I love ya and miss ya, buddy, but as you said to Mom just before she passed, "What a great run we had!"

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