My original comments were lost in the posting process so I'll say it here: I'm posting this because I found a box of good paper and wanted to reprint this, but I've lost the negative. I vaguely remember tossing it, thinking I didn't like it enough to do anything with. I don't toss negatives... so I'm hoping my vague memory is wrong! Anyway, the more I've looked, the more I've wanted to print it again on paper that's not bad. I thought I'd go ahead and post it. It will be my reminder to hang on to negs and always keep good paper on hand!
This man is a good friend to our family, and probably my favorite subject.
Good grief, I see this photo was posted over 8 years ago. I came here to APUG tonight looking for something of this friend and neighbor, Rayford, so I could honor him. He passed away a few days ago, and yesterday was his funeral.
He was the kindest, most patient and generous man. We spent many hours sitting under the trees, talking about this 'n that. He'd let me hound him with cameras while he worked, and he always knew just what to do (which was nothing special - just do what you're doing). He'd frequently threaten that photographing him might break the camera but we came to realize if it hadn't yet, it never would.
I probably have more negatives with him on them than any other one person, and I can't say enough how grateful I am to have been able to make prints for his family. When I photograph a person I often think; you never know when it might be the last photo taken. And when we signed the guest register at the church there were little folded cards, thanking us all for coming and with a little info about him and his family. On the front was a picture I'd taken a few years ago of him standing with a rake in his hand, beside one of his birdhouses he'd built that stands in his yard, and smiling. I'd forgotten about that one, and it just blessed me to see it, and to have been able to contribute that. As another friend of mine says, "keep shooting film".