Happy fathers day dad!!
Am working on this photo tonight of my father (spotting, cut the mat), it will be the lead introductory picture in the coming "Healing Process" show at the Art Gallery of St. Albert. Dad and I were born on the same day 32 years apart we had that shared birthday our entire life together. Every year it was happy birthday Gerry, Happy Birthday Dad! We did shared cakes, shared songs, shared everything, somehow it made us even more close.
I remember during this photo session soon after dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, I was crying and having a very difficult time operating the camera. Dad and I have a long history of making pictures together but this session was very hard to do. This was the last time we used my small home studio to make photos together. I miss making pics with dad so much now, it was our special shared father and son time. At one point during the session dad stood up went to the nearby mirror and adjusted the hair on his forehead to a point. He said "What about like this?" Then we went back to working, making this photo together.
The photographs over the next year that resulted in "My Fathers Last Days" and this coming "Healing Process" exhibition are a direct collaboration between dad and me. He passed away on February 22, 2015, at 82 years of age. I was alone with him when he died.
Happy fathers day dear dad, you were a great father, I owe you everything.
Kodak Masterview 8x10 camera, Nikon 300mm W F5.6 lens,,Tri-x film, printed on Ilford Warmtone 20x24 fiber paper in a Durst 8x10 enlarger with color head.
