I recently turned 50 and with that milestone has come a fairly turbulent few months. All the events I’ve experienced have certainly made me stop and realize that this life on earth is far shorter and moving far more quickly than we can possibly know. It also shows there are no guarantees.
My friend Ed Reinke passed away this morning. Ed was possibly the finest news photographer I have ever known. His pictures graced stories from Associated Press and other major publications for many years. If you have ever read a Kentucky newspaper, you have seen an Ed Reinke photo. Ed was shooting the Indy Car race in early October at Kentucky Speedway when he was found after a minor fall. No one really knows what occurred, and it’s not germaine to the story, but he was “making pictures” to the end.
I came to know Ed when I was assigned to the Kentucky political and government beat in Frankfort. He didn’t know me from Adam, but went out of his way to show me things and keep me going in the right direction on stories. One of the things I look back on with great fondness are the late nights during the legislative sessions. While the tired and grumpy press corps would wait for the session to resume. Ed would be there telling stories, and just keeping all of us entertained.
There has always been a tradition among photographers in AP and elsewhere to drink a toast “to Ed Reinke!” Such a popular tradition, that it has it’s own Facebook page and has for several months. That page has since become a tribute site to Ed, and the outpouring of his colleagues and friends has been overwhelming.
I see it as a tribute to a man who was a good and gentle soul and saw life not only through his camera, but as a panorama to shared and enjoyed to the fullest.
We love ya Ed. Hope you’re making some fabulous pictures.
