Still a mentor

It was my Grandpa Archer who encouraged my interest in photography from an early age. He had done some wedding and sports photography in his day. He had a passion for it. Grandpa also had a passion for fishing and family.

My grandparents lived in St. Pete, Fla., and since my dad worked for Delta we visited them a few times a year. One of my favorite memories is when grandpa took me to the beach near their home to see what kind of photos we could get. I must have been about 10- or 11-years-old. It was just the two of us, so that was special. Thinking back and knowing what I know now about photography it's amazing how much he fit into that little adventure.

It was late afternoon, so he had the sun in mind. He prepped me for what to look for before we got there, so I learned to plan what shots I might want. He talked about color and contrast.

I listened.

Once we hit the sand, a woman in a red bathing suit caught his eye. He explained the importance of getting someone's permission before photographing them, so we walked over and I asked her if I could take her picture. I was really embarrassed. She said yes. I was so relieved.

Grandpa then talked about how I would set up the photo. Now I know he was talking about the Rule of Thirds. He asked the woman to look out into the ocean. I put her to the right of center and clicked. Just once. I was proud. He encouraged me to click more. Another good lesson.

Even though Grandpa died many, many years ago I still think of him often. I smile when I think of the conversations we could have now about Photoshop and digital photography.

The photo above is one I took of him around 1985 or so, after we'd been fishing among the waves of the Gulf of Mexico. He's holding a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Aahh, great memories of grandpa.