Rocket Man Redux

Elton John

Sean was kind of thinking out loud last weekend when he was here.

As a communications student at Dutchess Community College in New York, he is taking a photography course.

His most recent project was to recreate a photo and he was going to work with a friend as his model.

Except his friend wasn't available before the project was due.

Thus, he was telling me about it. 

That's when I looked at him.

"Well, um, for what it's worth, I'm sitting right here and can help if you want," I said.

I know. Dad.  Who wants "the old man's" help?

Well, he quickly asked if I was available and, to his shock, I was.

We shot it on Monday morning and I was told to prepare to be Elton John.

Er, um, OK.

He showed me the photo that had to be recreated. It was taken by famed photographer Herb Ritts.

Photo: Herb Ritts

So I got my directions. I needed a black suit but, due to Sean shooting in black and white, I could use a dark gray shirt instead.

He had a hat I could use.

I have a pair of glasses that aren't a perfect match but, under the circumstances, it would do.

Sean turned his bedroom into a photo studio. Or, to be precise, he hung poster-sized white sheets on his wall.

I took my place and positioned things as necessary.

Sean held a lamp in his hand for extra lighting.

From there, he took maybe five pictures. 

I was amazed at how quickly he worked and how he was satisfied with the result.

We finished within just a few minutes and I went on with my day.

He went back to New York, saying he would do any editing later.

Apparently, the picture was OK because Sean said his professor raved about it and a copy is hanging in the hall at school.

That pleased me. It meant his work was good. It made me high as a kite. Or not.

Anyway, I'll spare you the buildup. You've seen the original Ritts photo above. Now bask in the Adams remake.

No, it's not exact. It's a recreation.

But I like it a lot.

Sean gave me a copy tonight and I'm just proud of him.

I hope these are skills he will continue to grow with.

Because I'd like to see him find something that carries him ...

You know ... 

For a long, long time.