“Photography has been a joy and a love affair.”
“Lately I have been using the Nikon D3. I was expecting the new 800, which would have been the last camera I would ever want. I would have probably gone nuts on that thing if I hadn’t gotten sick. That camera would have lasted me the rest of my life.”
“I was always interested in airplanes. I always hung out at the local airport and would fly anytime I could. I’d hitch rides with different pilots. I would wash their airplanes. They knew I wanted to learn to fly. When I was 13 or 14 I started flying. You can’t apply for a pilot’s license unless you’re 16. I kept washing and washing airplanes and flying and got enough hours legally to solo, which I did on my 16th birthday. The airplane I was flying got torn up in a bad tornado, and I never got to finish getting my private license.”
"I think my whole family turned out good. I’m proud of my daughters. My grand kids are just that. Grand."
“I am not afraid to die.”
2 comments:
Gloria: Thank you for sharing your words and images of Dick. I was saddened to
see what the disease has done to him. Its so personal when it is someone you
care about, so tragic for anyone to endure. What you are doing is a fitting
tribute to someone who lived for photography.
David
When I met Dick in Carmel we became friends very quickly. I discovered that Dick was very appreciative of Ansel Adams' work and completely in awe of him, so much in fact that when I offered to introduce Dick to Ansel, Dick declined by saying "I wouldn't know what what to say to him." Since I knew Ansel well and lived only a very short distance from him, I planned a little surprise.
When Dick was visiting my house I said to him "I have to drop something off at a friend's house. Hop in the car, we'll drop the stuff off and then go out and photograph at Point Lobos." Dick grabbed his camera, jumped in the car and I drove him straight to Ansel's house. Dick didn't suspect a thing until we arrived in the driveway and he spotted the "Zone V" license plate on Ansel's car. The look on Dick's face was priceless. We spent the next two or three hours talking and drinking with Ansel. Dick seemed to have the time of his life. When we finally left, Dick was in my car for about 15 seconds when he said "Stop the car! I have to walk this off!" He jumped out and I drove back to my house in about 1 minute. It took Dick about 1 1/2 hours to walk the quarter mile back to my place. I have never seen him happier than on that day. Ask Dick about that experience and give him my best when you see him.
John Woods
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