Okay, I know this might be somewhat controversial for a number of you, but I really like Fred Picker’s work. And yes, I have actually seen his work in the flesh.  News flash … it’s quite beautiful! So there!!

One of his photographs may be one of the most visually arresting (to me) images I’ve ever seen.  I think about it quite often. It’s a picture of a several thousand year-old religious monument located in Scotland (I think).  A tall pale stone rising out of the ground.  Very slender and slightly curved towards the left, it points to the clouds above. It’s really quite perfect … to me. Behind and above the monument, the shapes of the clouds seem to mirror those of the contours of the land near the distant horizon. Sublime!

I own his monograph (as well as his technical books), as well as The Iceland Portfolio and enjoy them all. If you can’t deal with this because you’re a Picker hater, or there’s some other reason, take a pill and get over it. Most people consider Picker a salesman or perhaps a writer. He was a great salesman, a great businessman, a great designer of photographic equipment, a great writer, a great teacher, but he was also in my opinion a marvelous photographer.  In many ways he was an inspiration to me. So much so, that when I drove up to the funeral in Vermont to pay my respects to a man I had never met, I felt a strong connection … during the memorial service and afterwards when I looked at his jewel-like images and then had dinner with his friends (who I had also never met). Just like the stone monument picture, I will never forget that day.

Yes, Fred you’re one of my favorites … I never met you in person, but I’m sure it would have been entertaining!

Stay well,

Michael