My first published photograph!
 

I've been going through files from my late mother's office. She was highly organized having been an skilled office manager for 40 years or so going back to WWII where she worked with the OSS in China.

I found a file with my name on it and plenty of things like old report cards (depressing as I barely passed many classes), my high school diploma, my Catholic records like baptism and first communion. And then I found my first picture to ever be published and I even got a byline. It was 1972 and I was just 16 and while out hiking in the woods near our home I found this manhole that was spewing out sewage into the local waterway. I took some pictures and word got around and a guy came by and asked to use it in the newspaper. Sadly I did not get paid!

The rest is history. To think that my career started with a photo of shit.

That's awesome. You must have been pretty pumped as a 16 year old to have you picture published in the paper.

That disgusting, by the way.

Moms are great for stuff like that, you're lucky your's was organized. Humble beginnings, but it certainly put you on an interesting path. :thumb:

That is cool

nice story thanks

Brilliant. Thanks for sharing.

aside - I've witnessed that scene in my backyard. There was an 11 inch concrete sewer main, from 1957, running along the creek. About 15 years ago they installed three of those manholes along the line, in my yard. Every time there was a heavy rain all three would blow off, just like that picture, and dump into the creek. After complaining for 5 years, they replaced the line with a new 29 inch line and eliminated the manholes, but it sure was disgusting for awhile.:greenface

The newspaper may not have paid you, but I think you were acknowledged. :thumb2: Well, if Chris something is you. :p