Her Gaze

This is easily my favorite photo, and the one I am most proud of.

She was on the side of the road between Addo and Gqeberha, South Africa picking through trash.

We made eye contact and she smiled.

Pulling over I offered her all my cash. Her surprise quickly turned into a warm, appreciative smile and I felt the need to take her photo.

I got the nod of agreement when I gestured to my camera.

It wasn't until I really looked at the photograph, that I noticed…….

The red head piece under her perfectly placed hat.
The blue scarf that reminds me of the New England Patriot’s logo, draped under her worn green jacket.
The bright yellow turtleneck underneath.

She had dressed with care and pride, there was intention in her garments and a pride in the way she presented herself.

But what stayed with me most wasn't the clothing.

It was her gaze.

That gentle, appreciative smile. The quiet way she looked directly into my camera. There was no self-consciousness in it.

I will always remember her as this photograph hangs on my wall at home.

And I will always remember thinking how easy it would have been to keep driving.

Above the Caldera

Santorini was the first place on my bucket list, before I understood what a bucket list was.

1982 in Katy Texas, I watched Summer Lovers, a movie starring Daryl Hannah, filmed on the island of Santorini, Greece. I remember vividly being mesmerized by the scenery in the movie, and telling myself, “One day I will visit this amazing location, I must see it with my own eyes”.

I sat patiently through the credits as this is how we got information before the internet, hoping they would list the filming locations.

There it was Filming Location - Santorini Greece.

I did not realize it that night, but my bucket list had it’s first entry.

For whatever reason, the movie also convinced me that Santorini was a honeymoon destination, as Summer Lovers was a honeymoon movie (amongst other things) so I tucked it away and some day my future wife and I would explore this amazing island together.

In 2023, I arrived in Santorini alone.

Standing above the caldera looking out over this view for the first time, I could not have been more proud of myself for checking it off the list.

I had finally made it and the sheer beauty of this island did not disappoint, in fact I was moved to tears.

1982 Glenn would have been proud that I made it and, there I was above the caldera.

Under the Milky Way

Images of the Milky Way started capturing my imagination about four years ago.

I would see these incredible compositions — stars stretching across the sky, mountains or lakes underneath them — and I wanted badly to make one of my own.

So on a recent trip to Wyoming, I decided this was going to be the trip where I finally created my own photo.

I spent a day scouting locations around Grand Teton National Park, looking for a place where the foreground, the mountains and the night sky might all come together.

Eventually, I landed on String Lake.

Then I wore out the poor park ranger with questions and more questions about bears, lakes, bears in lakes, bears around lakes, and most importantly, when was the last time anyone was mauled by a bear in this specific location.

He assured me I would be just fine……but would I?

String Lake looked perfect in the daylight!

At 3:00 in the morning, completely alone, it felt much different.

There I was standing beside a dark lake in lunar darkness, with bear spray in one hand and my tripod in the other, trying to convince myself that every sound in the woods was probably nothing.

Probably.

I was equal parts excited and terrified.

With trembling hands and my head on a swivel, I set up the camera, worked through the composition, adjusted focus in the dark and kept shooting.

And eventually, the Milky Way appeared on the back of my camera.

For years I had looked at photographs like this and wondered if I would ever be able to make one myself.

That night, alone at String Lake, I finally did.

And more importantly… Lived to tell about it.