Today I went to the celebration of life ceremony for JD Cummings from whom i took a class in 2004 at the Gibbes. Prior to that time, i had been running around Charleston pointing and shooting in auto mode. What i came out of that class with was much more. Not just from a photography perspective, but from a life perspective. JD was as much of a life teacher as he was a photography instructor. In the class, he talked a lot about photographing his Father in his last years. At the ceremony, we were privileged enough to see some shots of JD in front of the hospice center taking photos as he loved to do. On the photography side of his class, he taught you everything you needed to know plus some. A little voice will come to me while I'm shooting, reminding me what I should be doing. I'll never blur another waterfall that i won't be reminded that JD taught me what shutter speed is. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from JD Cummings- the philosopher:
"The man who knows when enough is enough, will ALWAYS have enough."
"To live and let live is fine, but to live and HELP live is better."
"There can be great beauty in the darkness when you have faith in the light."
JD Cummings~ June 28, 1949 - October 5, 2009
Photography is putting one's head, one's eyes and one's heart on the same axis"
Henri Cartier-Bresson
I have only today discovered this posting...I certainly do appreciate the kind words. It was neat reading some of the things I was told growing up. Thanks to all who keep my fathers words and work alive
ReplyDelete-WIll Amadon (J.D. Cummings son)