RIP Walter Ricks
My profile picture was taken by Walter, a little over a year ago. I was starting my background acting work, and needed headshots for the casting companies. I spent the afternoon with Walter at his home studio, where he carefully helped me pick out my outfits for the shoot, and took me to some nearby parks & streets for backdrops. He was very knowledgeable about photography, and made me feel at ease and comfortable. He would say, "Beautiful!" ... or... "Nice!" ...or some positive comment after each shot. He had me believing I was a pro model before long. It was several months later that we learned of Walter's diagnosis of cancer. We were told it was pretty serious, but I personally had difficulty believing that because he was always out dancing! He had such a beautiful spirit, and passion for dance. As his disease progressed, he would apologize for being "rusty" on the dance floor, even though he was clearly as sharp as ever. I never had a dance with Walter that wasn't enjoyable. He was just that good.
Walter lost his battle with cancer last October, and is missed by many. We dancers will always hold a special place for him in our hearts. Every time I look at my headshots I remember the day I spent with Walter, how he created some of the best photos ever taken of me... innocent moments frozen in time. Neither of us knew at that time that we both had cancer. We just spent a lovely, sunny day, taking pictures in the park. As it should be.
While Walter may have lost his fight with cancer, I am determined to honor his memory by winning mine.
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