I don’t know if it’s a selfish thing or maybe it’s much more common than I think. But isn’t the death of family or friend make you think more about your own life? In the movie ‘Flight’ starring Denzel Washington, he is a pilot that survives a plane crash. Literally scratch free but while waiting to be discharged from the hospital, he meets a person who is dying from cancer. The cancer patient says to Denzel:

“People think I may have some special insight to death. I don’t know. Maybe I do. Death does give you perspective….”

My friend, David Thorpe, if I may call him that, was a British man, passed away on May 27, 2021. who ran a fantastic and growing camera Youtube channel. The community he created on his channel was exceptional. I never read anyone say nasty about his videos. I didn’t know much about his career as a photographer. But I could tell he knew his stuff. He didn’t brag or talk like many ‘experts’ do as a ‘know it all’. But when you know your business and you talk with someone who is a true expert, you know it.

His death was not a big surprise. While I hoped for the best, my friend, I believe, was in his 80s and he would lightly mention about his physical condition. So there was thought about his true condition. But he never lead on to how bad he really was.

A true Brit.

There were several emotions that ran through my mind when I learned of his passing…

Absolute Rage

I had been planning a trip to England for 2020 to visit him. So of course, travel was pretty much over for the year. I had been planning another trip for Europe in later 2021. Just a few months away.

I was angry. Furious. Because here was another photographer I never got to meet. We chatted via Youtube, eMail and such. But always wanted to meet him in person.

I wanted to meet all-time great Peter Lindbergh as well. I had been keeping my eyes open for any exhibits he was doing or visits he may had been making to New York. Then poof! Died. Suddenly. Just a few years ago.

Sorrow

He was such a nice person and class act. When I saw someone say something mean or rude on his Youtube channel or blog, he would say something that someone’s father would say to their child. A firm tone and possibly tell them “You can leave…” One of the best things I heard him say was on his review of the Panasonic Leica 10-25mm f/1.7 lens and how people thought it was too big. Too heavy. Too expensive. His response:

“If it is ‘too’ anything for you, you don’t have to buy it".

That’s it. But that’s how a father tells it to his kids straight. You behaved or left. And he must have been effective because the people who frequented his channel, behaved.

Inspiration

His family started posting ‘at the end’ videos he did to talk about his career. I had NO IDEA what he had experienced in his career!

The two biggest things were when he worked with Paul and Linda McCartney and discussed how much he loved working with them as a photographer. He also was sent to the first Gulf War to cover it.

Wow!

His career was just over 30 or so years. He was a photographer when it was a really big deal to be a photography. Where a magazine or newspaper would send their people somewhere to cover something. Pretty much the golden era of photography.

So what’s this about ‘inspiration’? Two things:

1) Spicy life! What he got to experience in his photography career was just amazing! Not just with where he got to go, but who he met. The more I learned about him, after his death, the more I became inspired. The way I felt about his life, the more I want people to feel about my life.

I hope.

2) More hope. I’ve been feeling a bit bleh with my career the last few weeks. I’ve been stuck with a few projects. On top of, well, feeling a bit angry at the lack of progress. My methods to become inspired haven’t been working as well either.

But after learning more about David and the other two emotions passed, this jolt of inspiration just flooded my brain. Things I had been thinking about are taking more shape. Some new ideas on how to move forward. Not sure why I feel so inspired. His amazing life? Because I want something similar? Maybe. But this I know….

I met David through his Youtube channel. Once a month, he would give his audience his insights on a new piece of gear. He would help people make decisions on whether something would be right for us or not.

Even in death, he continues to help… He will be missed by many. God bless him.

"Thanks for watching". ~ David Thorpe