About 25 years ago, I signed up for a photography class at the College of Coastal Georgia Community in Brunswick.
I had purchased a Minolta film camera and was taking it with m e when Ralph Gurley and I would go fishing on the Satilla and Altamaha Rivers.
I finally just quit fishing and only started taking pictures while Ralph fished.
I went to Academy Sports in Brunswick back in July looking for an Owl Caller. I wanted to see if I could call more Owls to me.
I saw a gentleman talking to the salesman near where the bird calls were located. I recognized him, but had not seen him in quite a while.
I was not sure he would remember me, but once he saw me, he introduced me to the salesman. This was my photography teacher (Randall Hollis) from all of those years ago.
We talked for a while and I remembered at the end of his course (I believe it was six weeks) everyone had to turn in a few pictures to be judged by him.
I still remember I did a couple of black and white photos and he put notes on my pictures that they reminded him of something that Ansel Adams would have done At the time, Ansel Adams was pretty much the only photographer I had any interest in and thought anything about. To me, that was the ultimate compliment.
He had also kept up with some of what I had accomplished from the past 25 years since his class. He told me he had been following my son Kyle’s work and thought we were two of the best photographers around.
He told me he would love to meet Kyle one day. We shook hands and as soon as I got away from him, I called Kyle to see where he was. He said he was about five minutes away from Academy Sports.
I told him to come in that I wanted him to meet someone. I caught Randall before he left the store and introduced him to Kyle and we told him we are planning on doing a book together and calling it the (RIVERS of GEORGIA).
Randall said he bets it is going to be an awesome Coffee table book and wishes us luck on this project and can’t wait to see the finished product.
• Wayne Morgan is freelance wildlife photographer and author.
