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DEAR CHILDREN My Mother

There was still business to take care of. Legal
documents, the mortuary, the arrangements for burial.
Life had to go on.

We decided to bury her in the spring because
Scott, you and your family were not able to make it
because of Sonja’s work. You were in Maryland and
coming to California for such a short period was not
feasible. So, we decided to have her buried in April
when you could be here. I wouldn’t have done it
without you.

She was laid to rest April 6, 2017 and the day
after we had a memorial service for her in her
backyard. It was simply amazing, with the gorgeous
weather, the friends and family there, Taps,
remembrances. She’d have loved it. She would have
wanted to plan it, but we did it the way she would have
done it, and the way she would have wanted it.

Your grandmother was in fact a grand mother.
She adored you both more than you will ever know.

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DEAR CHILDREN My Mother

It saddens me to write like this since she’s no
longer here. But truth be told, I have no parents
anymore. I am nobody’s son.

She had quite the impact on everyone she knew.
I miss you Mom. We all do.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

The Eye Of The Beholder
There’s beauty around you, in virtually
anything you see; from the majesty of nature, to the
softness of a child. From the innocence of eating an ice
cream cone to the spectacular display of fireworks.
These are pictures where I find the beauty of
life. I have been interested in most of the arts all my
life. I like to think I see the beauty in things that other
people may miss, and I also like to think that if my
mind and eyes can see it, so can a camera lens.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

Some of my most peaceful and treasured times
came from the beauty around me that I was able to
capture on film. Well, these days, not film, but you get
the idea. Not only was it a peaceful and serene time for
me to compose a photograph...it was also a very tiring
struggle to get “that right shot”.

Ask any photographer: You need far more than
one shot to get that “one shot”. Many of these
photographs took hours to compose and capture. . . just
the right moment in time, just the right wave, just the
right lighting, just the right mood. . . just the right
subject.

It can all happen, in the blink of an eye and the
snap of a shutter.

I hope you enjoy these. You and I may not see
the same things...because beauty is in

The Eye of The Beholder.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“By Any Other Name”

Riverside, California

At the wedding of Don and Pat Peters, Carlos’ sister, at the
Mission Inn, Riverside, California

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Sunday In The Park”

Lake Balboa, California

A random Sunday afternoon at the park at Lake Balboa.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Tranquility”

Multnomah Falls, Oregon

On a trip to Oregon and Multnomah Falls. The serenity of the
creek was too good to pass up. A flock of birds crowded the

picture, but one that was left behind found his way
into the photograph.

ViewBug Award Winner

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Riverbed”

Zion National Park, Utah

A summer afternoon after a road trip to St. George, Utah
found us in Zion National Park. The majesty of the park is not

to be missed.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“North Pole”

Greenland

On a return trip from Germany and Turkey, I was invited into
the cockpit by the Lufthansa pilot as we crossed over
Greenland and the north pole.
The view was nothing less than spectacular.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Freedom Trail”

Boston, Massachusetts

On a family trip to the east coast, The Freedom Trail was
empty and it was the perfect place to capture the cold.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Rainbow Tunnel”

EPCOT Center
Orlando, Florida

A family trip to Florida and a stroll through EPCOT Center’s
Rainbow Tunnel. The neon lights changed colors every few
second and out of the multitude of pictures of the tunnel, this
was chosen.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Sydney Opera House”

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The spectacular Sydney Opera House designed to be in the
shape of billowing sails has graced Sydney harbor since 1973

and is a recognizable design world-wide.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Waikiki Bay”

Honolulu, Hawaii

The city of Honolulu from atop Diamond Head crater on a
family trip to Hawaii. The climb was dreadful but the view

was breathtaking.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Sunset On The Caribbean”

Caribbean Sea

On a Caribbean cruise in the 1970s aboard the Royal
Caribbean Cruise Line “Song of Norway” in the evening

hours allowed the peaceful sunset on the Caribbean.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“The Music Center”

Los Angeles, California

The Music Center of Los Angeles at night.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Penis Point”

Sedona, Arizona

A trip to Phoenix, Arizona took us to a side trip to Sedona,
Arizona, where the rock formations were incredible. No one
knows the actual name of the rock formation, but locals and

tourists refer to it as Penis Point.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Hector”

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

A good friend, Hector, and one of his model photographs.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Ice Trees”

Mammoth Lakes, California

What appears to be a black and white picture is actually full
color. Taken on a cold winter day on a trip to Bishop,
California, with a side day trip to Mammoth Lakes.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Morning Bloom”

Sherman Oaks, California

Our backyard was always blooming with fruit trees and rose
bushes. This rose was presented to Mom, being one of her

favorite flowers especially since it was grown in her backyard.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Somewhere In Time”

Colorado

A train trip coast to coast, somewhere in Colorado.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Storm”

Trinidad, Colorado

There’s something about pictures of the clouds, especially as a
storm is brewing. The formation of the clouds is something I
couldn’t pass up.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Bradbury Building”

Los Angeles, California

While taking care of police business at the Bradbury Building,
I was invited to photograph what I wanted in this building that

is generally off limits to the general public. The Bradbury
Building is an architectural landmark in downtown Los
Angeles, California. Built in 1893,[1] the five-story office

building is best known for its extraordinary skylit atrium of
access walkways, stairs and elevators,
and their ornate ironwork.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Union Station”

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los
Angeles, California, and the largest railroad passenger
terminal in the Western United States.[4] It opened in May
1939 as the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal,
replacing La Grande Station and
Central Station.
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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Blood Full Moon”

Global

3:34 a.m. from our back yard

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Desert Sunset”

Tucson, Arizona

From a visit to the Arizona desert, with a saguaro actus as a
foreground, Arizona desert sunsets are unlike anything you

have seen.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Power Of The Falls”

Niagara Falls, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The beauty and majesty of Niagara Falls is something
everyone should experience at least once in a lifetime. The
combination of the 3 falls have the highest flow rate of any
waterfall in North America that has a vertical drop of more
than 160 feet. During peak daytime tourist hours, more than

six million cubic feet of water goes
over the crest of the falls every minute.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Winter”

Mechanicsville, Maryland

A typical winter scene

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Santa Barbara Sunset”

Santa Barbara, California

Southern California sunsets are some of the most beautiful in
the world, but special from a beach as this is from the
Santa Barbara pier.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Walt Disney Concert Hall”

Los Angeles, California

The world-famous Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown
Los Angeles is a venue sought after by the most prestigious

musicians in the performing arts world.

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“When Sings The Heart”

Sherman Oaks, California

My final studio album cover, released on
June 21, 2014 in honor of my mother’s 93rd birthday

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Backstage”

Hollywood, California

The intricate lighting and sound combination at the
Hollywood Bowl. Unless you are a performer, few are

permitted backstage for a photograph like this.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Eclipse”

Total Annular Solar Eclipse
Dana Point, California

A very rare unfiltered glimpse of a Ring of Fire total annular
solar eclipse, from the beach at Dana Point,
January 4, 1992

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“City By The Bay”

San Francisco, California

With the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop, this is something
most photographers love to catch at just the right time.
ViewBug Award Winner

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“Produce”

Van Nuys, California

Captured at Jon’s Market, while it is “only” produce, it shows
that there is beauty in everything if we let ourselves see it.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Peace”

Riverside National Cemetery
Riverside, California

On a hot Memorial Day at the Riverside National Cemetery,
there is nothing like the peace and beauty of a
national cemetery

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“Cosmopolitan”

Las Vegas, Nevada

A stunning spectacle of neon in the Cosmopolitan Hotel
shopping arcade.

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“Olvera Street”

Los Angeles, California

The vibrant colors of México located at Olvera Street,
downtown Los Angeles. Olvera Street is a

historic district in downtown Los Angeles, and a part of
El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument.
Los Angeles was officially founded in 1781, and
Olvera Street obtained its current name in 1877.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Snowfall”

Boston, Massachusetts

The innocence of capturing snowflakes on your tongue,
Georgia Dardenelle shows us how its done.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Love”

Sherman Oaks, California

When you can’t do it for yourself, someone who loves you
does it for you. Shirley after a stroke was unable to put on

lipstick by herself, so husband Art stepped in.

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Stairway To The Stars”

Sherman Oaks, California

From the top of a staircase at Arclight Theater.
ViewBug Award Winner

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“Mother and Son”

Tarzana, California

As Shirley comes to the end of her journey, nothing gave her
greater peace than holding my hand

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“Tower Of Hands”

Four Generations

Shirley, Mike, Scott, Kate, Kristina and Julianna combine
their love together.

ViewBug Award Winner
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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Christmas”

First Congregational Church
Los Angeles, California

The beauty and colors at Christmastime inside this historic
church. Founded in 1867, the church is the city's oldest

continuous Protestant congregation. The congregation moved
around using a variety of buildings until it moved to its

current location in 1932, with the first service being held on
March 13, 1932

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Mooned”

Global

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DEAR CHILDREN Eye Of The Beholder

“Gratitude”

Malibu, California

Chris Etcheid and me at a chorus retreat, capturing our
gratitude for being in each other’s lives. Photo credit
unknown, but included here because of it’s warmth and
realism.

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“Party Time”

North Hills, California

Julianna’s birthday party, capturing the color and simplicity
of refreshments. There really is beauty around us if we look.

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“Putting It Into Perspective”

Hollywood-Highland Center
Hollywood, California

The Hollywood-Highland Center is a perfect opportunity for
photographers

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“Father and Daughter”

Northridge, California

Kate and me at her birthday as she expressed her love for her
dad. Photo credit: Jeff Diaz

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“Fireworks On Display”

Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood, California

Nothing says Hollywood Bowl like a post-show fireworks
display. The perspective of this shows the spectacular display

of the fireworks overshadowing the bowl

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“Spaceship Earth”

Orlando, Florida

The world famous “golf ball” at EPCOT Center, Spaceship
Earth sits on 6 legs that are 160 feet below its surface. The

spaceship stands 180 feet above ground.

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