Re: RE: [Leica] John John Picture

[Ruralmopics@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/24/00 9:49:49 AM, bdcolen@earthlink.net writes:

>It is really difficult to hit a career highpoint early on, and then see
>
>yourself as not moving, or moving down-hill there after . . . >>

For me, the ultimate example of this is Bill Epperidge. He was the boy wonder 
of the early 1960s. He won College Photographer of the Year and went directly 
to an internship at National Geographic. His early work for Life magazine 
includes some of that publications best work (remember the photo story on the 
heroin addicts?). He's best known though for his photo of the Bobby Kennedy 
assasination (the photo of the waiter kneeling over Bobby's body). Although 
he continued to work for Life and Sports Illustrated, Bill has said many 
times he's never been the same since. A year or so ago he published a book of 
his pictures from the Kennedy campaign and openly discussed the effect that 
tragic night had on his life. I've met Bill several times through the 
Missouri Photojournalism Workshop and have always liked him a lot. In many 
ways, he's a tragic figure, though -- at least among photojournalists. It 
just goes to show you how an event or incident can grab a hold of our lives 
and not let go. Most of us simply don't have the tools to shake those kinds 
of haunting thoughts . . . 

Bob (thankfully has enjoyed a career devoid of either pinnacles or tragedy) 
McEowen