In memorie of smuggy friend

ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
edited January 22, 2010 in The Big Picture
I cry as i type this, a smugmug member, my good friend and an awesome photographer, passed away last night doing what he loved to do the most, doing his studio work. I'm beyond myself right now, i feel so absolutely horrible for his family, his children, models who loved him so much, and everyone who knew Mike, he touched many hearts. I've never seen anyone with so much passion and dedication to everything he did.
I feel like i lost my right hand, we did a lot of shooting together, he helped me with weddings, studio shots, photography outings and much more. He was looking forward attending a bridal show with me, and was all excited, now, i am all alone. :cry:cry:cry

He collapsed last night at our studio shoot and was taken to the hospital, he didn't not make it.
You can see his galleries here on smugmug.

http://mikestalnaker.smugmug.com/Portraits

Sorry for the post, i just wanted to share this, in case anyone knew him.
Marina
www.intruecolors.com
Nikon D700 x2/D300
Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8

Comments

  • Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    R.I.P. Mike
    I did not know him but still after perusing his galleries....the world has lost a great talent and person:cry.
    I am very sorry for your and his families lost of a great friend and family man I am sure. Hopefully someone can take his work and compile a book of it for future generations to learn from or at least keep his SM site going.
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    Marina,

    I am very sorry for your loss.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • Nikonic1Nikonic1 Registered Users Posts: 684 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    I'm incredibly sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace.
    Matt :thumb
    http://nikonic1.smugmug.com/
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    I'm not sure who'll be handling his affairs - but I've added an extra year to his account so that it won't expire this June 2010, it's active until June 2011 now. Mike had been a SmugMug photographer since 2005, a long, long time. We'll miss him, too.

    Marina, since you're a good friend, if you can help anyone in his family at the right time (of course, no rush at all) to access the account and update records, that'd be a real favor - just write ATTN: RichW at our help desk, and reference this posting on Dgrin when you're ready to help.

    RIP Mike. bowdown.gif
    Andy

    Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
  • Nikonic1Nikonic1 Registered Users Posts: 684 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    Art Scott wrote:
    I did not know him but still after perusing his galleries....the world has lost a great talent and person:cry.
    I am very sorry for your and his families lost of a great friend and family man I am sure. Hopefully someone can take his work and compile a book of it for future generations to learn from or at least keep his SM site going.

    Art is so correct. His work is stunning. Hopefully it will be maintained for online viewing. Thanks you for posting a link to it, it was a pleasure to look at.
    Matt :thumb
    http://nikonic1.smugmug.com/
  • Nikonic1Nikonic1 Registered Users Posts: 684 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    Andy wrote:
    I'm not sure who'll be handling his affairs - but I've added an extra year to his account so that it won't expire this June 2010, it's active until June 2011 now. Mike had been a SmugMug photographer since 2005, a long, long time. We'll miss him, too.
    RIP Mike. bowdown.gif

    Man, that is awesome of you. bowdown.gifbow
    Matt :thumb
    http://nikonic1.smugmug.com/
  • ivarivar Registered Users Posts: 8,395 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    Marina, I'm so sorry for your loss. My condolences to his family, friends and of course you.
    Ivar
    www.ivarborst.nl & smugmug
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    Very sad, may god bless his soul.
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

    My Gallery
  • ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    Thank you so much everyone for all your thoughts and best wishes.
    Andy, thank you so much for your help and this generous offer! I was just talking to his son about how we can get into his galleries and save all his work on the hard drive. I will definitely let him know about your offer, and i will pass info to him.
    Thank you all so very much!
    Marina
    www.intruecolors.com
    Nikon D700 x2/D300
    Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited January 17, 2010
    ShepsMom wrote:
    Thank you so much everyone for all your thoughts and best wishes.
    Andy, thank you so much for your help and this generous offer! I was just talking to his son about how we can get into his galleries and save all his work on the hard drive. I will definitely let him know about your offer, and i will pass info to him.
    Thank you all so very much!
    It's already done, one extra year. When you're ready, show him AlbumFetcher or RapidFetcher:
    http://wiki.smugmug.net/display/SmugMug/Hacks+and+Apps

    either will get the job done for downloading photos. Email RichW when you're ready at our help desk, no rush, account's all set for an extra year, till June 2011.
    Andy

    Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
  • angevin1angevin1 Registered Users Posts: 3,403 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2010
    Very Sorry for your loss!

    Thanks to SM/Andy for stepping up~
    tom wise
  • sweet carolinesweet caroline Registered Users Posts: 1,589 Major grins
    edited January 18, 2010
    So sad. I looked through his galleries, and my first thought was that it would be a tragedy for his files to be lost. Thanks Andy/SM for giving his family and friends time to mourn without having to worry about that detail. It's quite a community we have here.

    Caroline
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,951 moderator
    edited January 19, 2010
    So sorry to hear of your loss :cry
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited January 21, 2010
    Tragic. Sorry to hear of this news.

    Anything I can do for you locally, Marina?
    Mitch
    http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
  • leaforteleaforte Registered Users Posts: 1,948 Major grins
    edited January 21, 2010
    R.i.p
    Growing with Dgrin



  • ShepsMomShepsMom Registered Users Posts: 4,319 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2010
    Thank you again everyone for the kind words. His memorial service was on Tuesday, it was wonderful, with music from his IPod thumb.gif

    I let his wife know about smugmug offer to extend his gallery and they will take care of it when they feel it's time. They are very grateful for this, thank you Andy! bowdown.gif

    He has a lot of equipment/lighting left, a lot of it he has made himself, I will need to help his family to try and sell what can be sold.

    Mitchell, thank you for you offer to help, may be come down and shoot with me sometime? :o)
    Marina
    www.intruecolors.com
    Nikon D700 x2/D300
    Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
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