Last week I received some tragic news. One of my work colleagues, Greg Parsons, suffered a heart attack and passed away. The above image is a black & white photomontage by Greg named "Hat Block Girl", which has been skillfully hand- coloured by his wife Julie. I have this image hanging in my livingroom at home- it means even more to me now.
I would like to share a few thoughts about this man who happened to be a great teacher, friend and colleague...
I have known Greg for a relatively short time in the grand scheme of things. I met him 8 years ago while I was in my final year of my Photography studies at what was formerly known as KvB Institute of Technology. Greg was my "Studio Technology" lecturer and from that time on I've known him to be a kind, patient and funny man.
Since graduating from my studies, I've also had the privilege of working along with Greg and other great photographers in the Photography department of Raffles College. Greg was, hands down, the most industrious person I have ever known... Give him some Gaffa tape, a few off-cuts of timber and a can of paint and he'll whip up some ornate photographic set or some kind of contraption designed to make studio life easier!!! He was always on the go...
Anyone who knew Greg, either as a student or a colleague would also agree that he was extremely generous with his time, equipment and knowledge. He spent countless hours after his class had officially ended, helping students perfect their shots and finish assignments... He'd often lug in a truck load of props and lighting equipment from home to help students see what can truely be accomplished after putting a little more thought and effort into the finer details and finishing touches...
Greg was an inspiring teacher and an artist in his own right. He brought a unique flavour to our team at Raffles College. Whether it be his painterly still lifes, his classic lighting techniques, his mastery of the large format camera- he had a unique style that was unmistakeable. We also appreciate all the effort he put into his photographic briefs which were both artistically challenging, yet still commercially viable- he has left a huge void to fill and will most certainly be missed.
What can I say on a more personal note about this Gaffa tape clad, rough diamond of an Englishman known by numerous names such as Greggles, Greggy, Mr Bloater (Photoshop talk), etc? Pretty much most of my memories of Greg (whether from when I was a student or of more recent times), involve his crazy little chuckle and a smart one-liner (usually aimed in the direction of another much loved colleague!). Greg was always friendly, cheerful and was a pleasure to work with!
I must add at this point that someone who must not go unnoticed is Greg's wonderful wife Julie. Julie often assisted Greg in producing briefs for his subjects, sitting in on marking panels, as well as generally putting up with numerous student visits to their home studio for the purpose of both class demonstrations and helping individual students complete their work. Thank you for your dedication behind the scenes Julie- behind every creative man is an equally creative and supportive woman...
I have so much more to say however I think I would like to leave off with something that his wife Julie wrote to me: "...until the end he was a photographer."
http://www.gregparsons.com.au/
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