Bali – SINCERELY, DR. DAN

Guest Photographer: Steve Roth

English version, Guest Photographers/ Fotógrafos Invitados

The second in my series of “Guest Photographers” is Steve Roth, a fellow member of the Boynton Beach Camera Club. I have had the privilege of being a member in BBCC since 2015 when I retired from practicing pediatrics. Since I have learned so much from the club about improving my photographic skills, I decided to feature the amazing accomplishments of other members.

In his previous professional life, Steve was an architect in the Miami area. He grew up in New York but came down to Miami in the mid-1960s. He moved to Palm Beach County in 2007 and in addition to photography, remains active playing golf.

When Steve sent me 15 of his favorite images to choose my favorites, I found it to be a difficult task. His style displays precision editing with attention to the finest detail in his use of natural light.

“Beautiful Dahlia” shows off the details of the petals of a slightly off-white flower. It is often difficult to maintain perfect focus in a close-up of a flower, but Steve pulls it off very well.

“Mother and Child” was taken in Bali. The macaques freely roaming throughout the island are excellent subjects. I love this portrait of the mother with her baby clinging to her because both are staring straight at the photographer.

Steve’s capture of the vendor in the “Thai Floating Market” shows his ability to physically position himself to achieve the utmost photographic impact.

His image of the “Vietnamese Flower Girl” catches the warmth of a typical street scene with the brightly colored flowers offsetting the pure whiteness of her dress.

In “Mother and New Arrival,” Steve has caught the newly hatched heron chick under the careful eye of his mother.

My favorite picture from Steve’s portfolio is his portrait of a Cambodian girl in her schoolroom. This image, taken with available light through an open window, tells a beautiful story of a student’s attention to her teacher.

Steve wins many of the monthly competitions in our camera club. He consistently deserves the highest scores and is constantly showing us his full range of photographic subjects.

I want to thank Steve Roth for allowing me to interview him for my blog. My next guest photographer will be Herb Zaifert.

R.I.P.: Costco Photo Center

English version

When I recently learned that the Costco Photo Centers were being phased out, I wept along with many other photographers who had counted on them to create beautiful enlargements. Let me explain why I was one of their favorite customers.

Until I retired six years ago, I was a pediatrician in Palm Beach County, Florida for almost 35 years. In the 10 years before I stopped working, my wife and I had been traveling all over the world and I would display some of my favorite photos on the walls of my offices. My patients were often surprised when I told them that the enlargements were done by Costco.

Many years ago, when my young patients and their parents began to admire my pictures, I decided to give them copies of my favorites in simple 5 x 7 cardboard mattes. I would order 500 at a time at Costco every few months.

Many patients would tell me that they posted their “Dr. Kraft pictures” on the kids’ bedroom walls. I would make a geography lesson out of it for the school-age children. Each picture came with the assignment to research where the picture was taken. Some parents even shyly asked if they could have one from my selection basket.

When we were traveling, I would carry an assortment of these simply-framed pictures to give away to children and adults in exchange for letting me take their pictures. I have photos of children and adults holding my pictures from our trips to China, Bali, Japan and Peru. It’s a great icebreaker! When a hotel clerk or flight attendant has been especially kind, I also give them one of my enlargements. It’s my favorite way of thanking them for their special service. They often told me that they appreciated it more than any monetary gift.

Until Costco decided to eliminate their in-store photo centers, their employees would ask where we were going next and when I was going to order another large batch of pictures. That is not going to happen anymore since I’m retired, but I do have some new favorites which I will enlarge for my home through mail order. When our traveling eventually resumes, I will continue to bring some pictures along with me to give out wherever we go.

Now whenever I go to Costco, I see my old patients who remind me of the photos that they still have from their visits to my office. I am happy to see that this is part of my legacy as their pediatrician in my community.

R.I.P. (Descance en Paz): Los Centros de Fotografía de Costco

Versión en español

Cuando me enteré recientemente de que los Centros de Fotografía de Costco estaban siendo eliminados, lloré junto con muchos otros fotógrafos que habían contado con ellos para crear hermosas ampliaciones. Déjame explicarte por qué era uno de sus clientes favoritos.

Hasta que me jubilé hace seis años, fui pediatra en el condado de Palm Beach, Florida, durante casi 35 años. En los 10 años antes de dejar de trabajar, mi esposa y yo habíamos estado viajando por todo el mundo y mostraba algunas de mis fotos favoritas en las paredes de mis oficinas. Mis pacientes a menudo se sorprendían cuando les decía que las ampliaciones fueron realizadas por Costco.

Hace muchos años, cuando mis pacientes jóvenes y sus padres empezaron a admirar mis fotografías, decidí regalarles copias de mis favoritas en simples cartulinas de 5 x 7. Ordenaría 500 a la vez en Costco cada pocos meses.

Muchos pacientes me dirían que publicaron sus “Cuadros Dr. Kraft” en las paredes de las habitaciones de los niños. Haría una lección de geografía para los niños en edad escolar. Cada imagen vino con la tarea de investigar dónde se tomó la imagen. Algunos padres incluso preguntaron tímidamente si podían tener uno de mi canasta de selección.

***Mis regalos para los niños en Bali***

Cuando viajábamos, llevaba una variedad de estas fotos enmarcadas con sencillez para regalarlas a niños y adultos a cambio de que me dejaran tomar sus fotografías. Tengo fotos de personas sosteniendo mis fotos de nuestros viajes a China, Bali, Japón y Perú. ¡Es un gran rompehielos! Cuando un empleado de hotel o un asistente de vuelo ha sido especialmente amable, también les doy una de mis ampliaciones. Es mi forma favorita de agradecerles por su servicio especial. A menudo me decían que lo apreciaban más que cualquier regalo monetario.

Hasta que Costco decidió eliminar sus centros de fotografía en la tienda, sus empleados preguntaban adónde íbamos a continuación y cuándo iba a pedir otra gran cantidad de fotografías. Eso no va a suceder más desde que estoy jubilado, pero tengo algunos favoritos nuevos que ampliaré para mi hogar a través de pedidos por correo. Cuando nuestro viaje finalmente se reanude, continuaré trayendo algunas fotos conmigo para repartir dondequiera que vayamos.

Ahora, cada vez que voy a Costco, veo a mis antiguos pacientes que me recuerdan las fotos que todavía tienen de sus visitas a mi oficina. Me alegra ver que esta es otra parte de mi legado como pediatra en mi comunidad.