Throwback Thursday - A 2002 Classic

There's nothing on this planet that trumps great friendships! 

Looking through old files for a Throwback Thursday image, I found this gem from WPPI in 2002. That's me flanked by two of my very best buddies, Terry Deglau on the left and Don Blair on the right. In the years when Kodak was a powerhouse in professional photography, Terry was the connection for thousands of artists. 

A group of us had dinner together that night at Emeril's at the MGM, and I'm not sure who to thank for this grab shot. It will never win an award for composition, but it sure wins an award for a stellar moment and great memories. Don passed away in September of 2004, but there are still so many times when I think back to something we worked on together.

There were probably ten of us in an exclusive group because he called us all "Numb Nuts".  One year his son Gary had polo shirts made up. I couldn't have been prouder to have "Numb 1" embroidered on mine! I still have the shirt. LOL

Officially, Terry is retired, but his passion for the industry has never changed.. He writes a weekly blog. Plus, he has a gallery exhibit coming up at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA opening on December 4. The gallery collection they're showing includes many of his most outstanding images. If you're in the area and have an opportunity to see the exhibit, just click on the headshot of Terry to the right for more information.

Every Throwback Thursday I hit you with the same suggestion. Grab a cup of coffee and take a few minutes to go through your old files, shoeboxes, albums - any place you have old images stashed. It's incredible the smiles and even a few tears those images will create.

​Nothing beats the power of photography to bring back great moments from our past.

---