Throwback Photographs That Become Therapeutic

by Skip Cohen

​As the pandemic continues, the importance of Throwback Thursday just keeps growing. I find myself often wandering through my files, along with albums and shoeboxes, in a therapeutic way, looking for something that makes me smile and reminds me of life pre-Covid19.

Well, nothing captures a quicker smile these days than a scuba trip from the past. I'm not sure where we were, but this is around 2006. From location destinations to live-aboard trips, there was a group of us who headed off diving at least twice a year or more.

In terms of people you might recognize from the photo industry: me, Paul Fishkin now with the Mac Group, Bob Rose, now teaching at RIT, Kayce Baker (behind Bob) back in her FujiFilm Days, and Karen Hart, who you'll recognize from so many different companies she's represented, including Zeiss, Tamrac and Hasselblad.

Outside the industry, but often with us on every trip, Karen (blue blouse) and Bill Kuglar (yellow t-shirt) from Minneapolis, Tom Danielson from Chicago, and Mitch Rubinoff from NJ.

Tom Danielson and I started diving together in the early 90s. He was essential in helping develop the H38, Hasselblad's underwater housing back then as well. Somewhere during life's travels, we became the "Nitro-Boys." Between Tom and Bob Rose, we've been together on hundreds of dives over the years.

A few months ago, as a podcast guest, I was asked what I missed most - the answer was easy - people! Zoom, Facetime, and Skype are all wonderful for a temporary solution to physical distancing, but nothing replaces real-time with friends. And scuba is one of those sports that provides an incredible quality of time, and with each trip, the friendships, along with the stories, all grow.

So, as we hit the eleven-month mark of hunkering down, take my advice and use Throwback Thursday as an excuse to catch up to old friends and relive those special moments from the past. After what we're all feeling through the pandemic, you only have to go back a year ago to find the "good old days!"

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