Famed photographer Ernie Brooks photographed for his 2018 Reaching Out Award presentation.

When I was asked to do a portrait for Ernie Brook's DEMA Reaching Out Award, I'll admit I was intimidated. While I'm pretty confident in my abilities as a shooter,  he's, well, Ernie Brooks. The Ernie Brooks -- one of diving's most noted photographers. One of photography's most noted divers. The son of the founder of the famous Brooks Institute of Photography, and later, president of it for almost 30 years. That Ernie Brooks – one of my heroes when I was still figuring out which side of the camera to put the lens on in my late teens. He's forgotten more about photography than I know . . . now he's going to sit for me.

Needless to say, I (we, actually – thank you, Dawn, for everything you do to make me look good) wanted to make an image worthy of such a worthy image maker, at least as much as I could. I started with this: Have him pose with an old film era Nikon and well-worn Tussy housing my friend Budd has. It would be so . . .

Cliché.

Cliché.

Cliché.

No way I'm doing cliché for this.

Until the day before, I didn't know where to go with this. But much as necessity is the mother of invention, desperation is the father of inspiration and when Ernie showed up to shoot, I (we, again) knew what we wanted. Then we shot. Photographing a photographer tends to be either very easy or very hard, and thankfully Ernie is very much the former. First shot to final took less than 10 minutes – a testament to Ernie's expertise because he knows what the camera likes.

Our concept evolved as we shot and later in post, but I'm pleased with the result. Actually, more than pleased. Shooting it was a privilege. And, I think it's one of my best.

Thank you, Ernie.