Brian Nevins name first came up almost ten years ago, as I was at Calumet in Santa Barbara and my pal Craig, had told me that a Brooks student was looking for me and wanted to assist. My answer had been somewhat sarcastic as I recall, something to the affect of : “What is he gonna hold my hand while I swim or something?”
The short of it is that Brian pursued the heck out of me and over a period of months, I relented. (I think Craig still laughs about it to this day.) We became best friends and eventually colleagues as his air status due to his Dad flying commercial jets allowed for Brian to pretty much go anywhere that I did.
It was with satisfaction that I attended Brian’s commencement ceremony at Brooks and watched he and Jon Steele (who later became one of my editors) graduate. In the ensuing years Brian and I traveled doing jobs together and I have watched with an immense pleasure as he hit stride and has become one of the better Photojournalists and human beings that I know with publications and commercial clients too numerous to list here. Elite shooter and Brooks Instructor Ralph Clevenger calls this experience, where we watch people that we mentor grow, “The grand reward”.
The link to Brian’s website is here.
The copy and images below with the exception of the rainbow, were sent to me today by Brian:
A friend of mine just forwarded me a few images from my last trip to Nicaragua of the young girl Wendy and I at the beach. Besides a reminder of needing to start a weight loss program… I had a good reminder of those few moments in life that you strive to be a part of.
Wendy was the focus in my Surfers Journal article and has always been the face that drives my work and heart down in Nicaragua. If only you had the opportunity to spend one day with her… you would understand a lot more about what this life is really about.
Regardless… these are photos of us at the beach. The first time she has been outside of the dump, Managua and a life un-explainable. The first time seeing a surfboard and feeling the movement of the waves, the first time smelling salt water and having the sand burn her feet instead of the burning trash. Everything I’ve done in this life has given no greater perspective on whats real and whats important than to watch Wendy play in the waves for one day.
If only every day could be like this.
Click on any image in this blog for a full view.
