I was 17 in 1973 and home on leave between my boot camp and aircraft schools at Memphis and my assigned duty station at Imperial Beach. I had graduated 3rd out of my "A" school; the top 3 were supposed to be able to pick either our duty station or aircraft. I picked Barber's Point, Hawaii; Rota, Spain (inspired by Michener's "Caravans"); my 3rd choice was fixed wing aircraft. The two who graduated above me, the top one being one of the first WAVE jet mechs through school made similar choices. None of us picked helicopters, none of us picked San Diego...
Dad and I had started "playing" with photography in '68; we had belonged to a "black and white" camera club shooting assigned and open subjects each month for competition and judging for almost that long at this point. Dad shot a set of slides and a set of black and white while I was home; Mom had learned how to "hand oil" b&w into color and there is a 16x20 of one of those running around here somewhere. While I was gone for the next year, Dad taught himself color printing and processing. His portraiture got better, and by the time cancer caught up with him in '83 he was making as much from wedding and portrait photography as he was his "real" job.
My apologies for not keeping things chronological, it's been a busy week so I pulled the first slide I liked out of the first tray I got to...
Looking forward to everyone else's Photo Sunday posts! As "The Butler" said not so long ago, I'm spending way too much time here, but have to check in on you all each day just to see "what's up"! Always a source of amazement, delight, or illumination, you are each treasured!
alan
12 comments:
Love the photo. You where so young and adorable in that picture.
It is so amazing the lives that people have led.
Have a great Sunday....
This is getting interesting.....
STB
Handsome is as handsome does and you, my dear, are handsome inside and out.
I love the quality of this photo.
And can we just talk about those gorgeous lips for a moment?
x0x0x
you look serious about yourself.
what a lovely, high quality portrait. not surprising, really.
thanks.
I have a very similar picture of my daughter. She was "aroc" of her division in boot camp.
On hold, chipping paint and cleaning till her transfer to Pensacola comes through.
Great picture
What a great photo! So young. You must have been very mature for your age.
hey! you were a sailor?
my son was in Yokosuka for four years...
I have seen you around Ingers blog.. nice to meet you ! And thanks for visiting my place :)
My God, are those blue eyes YOURS, or did somebody take a paintbrush to the photo?? Amazing.
Staying tuned for the next chapter--and I like the nonlinear approach. Alan at his wedding. Alan losing his first tooth. Alan holding his first child.
hey sailor...
the butler's comment is just too funny =)
great pic alan, and a great story as well...
peace...
Very talented family you come from. Very nice photo!
OMG Alan, you don't look old enough to blow the foam off a sasparilla! LOL
My dad was US Navy too a WW2 vet.
Got any tatoos you want to tell us about? (grin)
Don't listen to the Butler.
Spend MORE time here and post more photos of the sailor.
rQm
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