The dream that never came to fruition

.

Dick and I were married in NY City in 1958. We'd met a year earlier when he was launching his own career as a free lance photographer. He had just left “Life” magazine where he'd been an assistant to an array of well known “shutter bugs” such as Eliot Elisofon, Margaret Bourke-White. Alfred Eisenstadt and, his favorite, Gordon Parks

In 1956 his assignment for “Time” magazine (partner of “Life”) took him to Madison Square Garden. This shot, “The Relay”, was featured in the magazine and then won first prize in the 1957 edition of “Photography Annual”.

 

I never tired of the stories he told of his 4 years at “LIFE“ and it helped to open doors for him when he started his own business. Among his clients were Union Carbide, DeLaval, IBM, Time Inc., Met Life, ABC Radio and the NY based offices of Swissair. 

 

What should have been the start of an illustrious career was cut short in 1959 when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. He was extremely brittle and it made it impossible for him to continue in a business that required odd hours and much travel carrying bags of large strobe lights, tripods and other heavy equipment.

 

I've often wondered what would have happened to Dick’s career (and our life together) had he stayed with “LIFE”, but it was not to be. He died on September 22, 1990 at the way-too-young age of 59. I have friends who are surprised that I never re-married but why should I ? Good memories make great companions.