the editor talks with you

Al Paglione was one of the most visionary photographers I ever worked with. He had been a house painter who fell in love with photography and convinced an editor to hire him. The editor never regretted his decision. Al won awards with extraordinary photos of everyday life. My start began as a kid with my father’s twin lens reflex. We turned a closet into a dark room. It was a thrill to watch the images appear in the developing tray. Now you see them on your digital phone.

Years ago, Al worked with me at a North Jersey newspaper. As an award-winning news photographer, Al had enormous influence on many of us. Al coveted my used German Leica single lens reflex. He swapped 2 Minoltas for it. At 5 am one Saturday, Al and I drove to Hoboken, an old river town where they shot the movie, “On the Waterfront.” It was barely first light when Al parked and we started walking the streets. “Look for little details that break patterns,” Al said. “Look for the tricks the early morning light will play.” We were standing on a high street above Hoboken looking down on the Hudson River and Manhattan across the water. Suddenly the sun broke through a cloud and lit up the Empire State Building like a torch. It was breath taking. “Grab it,” Al said and I swung my camera up and snapped the glowing building. As I lowered the camera, the clouds slid back over the sun and the light went out. It had lasted less than 3 seconds.

Farther on, we came to a 4-story apartment building. All the windows were closed but a woman was sitting at an open window, her forearms resting on the sill. She was looking out at the morning. “There’s one for you,” Al said. As I swung my camera up, she raised a hand and waved. “Click.” I captured her. She was smiling at the pair of us. When the smiling woman’s photo appeared in our newspaper, a reader wrote: “I’ve lived in Hoboken all my life,” she wrote. “Most people think it’s lousy little town. Thank you for finding beauty here.” Now I mostly paint pictures with words to make you see what I see. I like to go with our son Mark. He is a much better photographer and we have fun together. He takes photos and I talk with people and find out what brought them there and other details of their lives. People love to talk about themselves. It’s sad but few others will listen to them. When they find someone with an attentive ear, it is like Christmas came early

One of these days, after I am gone, my wife and sons will go through my things and find the smiling woman and Empire State Building photos and the note. “Dad left us something to remember him by,” they may say and smile. I hope you leave legacies like this for those you love. It will make a difference. You are gone but their memory of you and their time with you will live on.

Next: A child survives his grandfather’s expectations and his1st violin lessons.

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