Live Like You Are Dying.

I met this man today, Gary Elam, in downtown Memphis. He was riding his motorcycle and he wore suspenders with flames on them. He is 60, a war veteran, a transplant survivor. He lives deeply and he is filled with gratitude since he got a second chance at life after receiving his transplant. He said he believes he has a lot to give back. He talked about his enlightenment and said "I wish everybody could get a chance to live like they are dying."

There Is One Born Every Minute

P.T. Barnum is credited with the saying "There's a sucker born every minute." I have always known that I am one, a sucker that is. I make no apologies for not being able to pass by a child begging, especially one playing a sad song on an accordion. When I looked into the eyes of the child Gypsies that I came across in Greece, I still saw a helpless child, even after one of them called someone a Mother F*^*$#, when he was dissatisfied with the amount of money he was given as a tip for playing his sad song.

There seemed to me, an irony, with a sweet girl playing her sad accordion on the most beautiful island of Santorini while two tourists, with a spectacular view, seemed oblivious to her standing next to them. She seemed intrigued with my harmonica, which I played for her and it made her smile. 

A Giraffe Whisperer

Some days I can't believe they pay me, and other days they can't pay me enough. That's the life of a photojournalist. I have always enjoyed working with The Memphis Zoo. We have an awesome zoo here in Memphis. Their giraffe, Marilyn, gave birth to her sixth calf May 16, the baby male is named Tamu. This giraffe is a great mother and is the same mother that I photographed years ago, in what has become one of my most popular photographs, with another baby.

Remembering Veteran Daniel Davidson this Memorial Day

RIP- Veteran Daniel Davidson survived two tours in the military, one tour in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. He says that the trials of daily life on the front lines brought him closer to God. Davidson reflected upon feeling the presence of God, in the still of the night, while on guard duty in the mountains of Afghanistan. When he talked about those nights, his voice trembled. I could see him sitting there, in my minds eye, as he told me his stories. Often people just want to be heard, sometimes people tell me things they can't tell other people. Sometimes people don't want to hear what they have to say. I have thought of David many times after we talked, he was so open, so deep and so spiritual.  He was extremely tender for such a tough guy. He talked about how hard it was to sit at his family's table, after all he had seen. He knew so personally of a world that they would never know. He was not proud of some of the things he did, in the name of war. As a photojournalist, many times I have photographed people who have died shortly after I photographed them.  I am glad that I was able to tell a piece of  Daniels story.   He died a year ago this month, while working as a U.S. Forest Service wildland firefighter. I will remember him, and his family, this Memorial Day.