A Tribute to George Camp: The Loss of a Special SOV Member..

[ctyanky]

It is with great sadness that one of our finest forum members, George Camp, has passed on after a long battle with cancer. Carol informed me tonight that George lost his battle with cancer a few weeks ago and she just found his obituary. I met George during one of our SOV reunions, I think it was in 2009. George had that type of personality where you felt like you had known him for years. He was kind, soft spoken and a true gentleman. He had that Texas drawl that was unforgettable. He was a very tall man and when we parted he gave everyone a huge, swaddling hug.

We all went to NH in a caravan and stopped at the waterfalls (Carol, I forget where) and we had so much fun. My favorite moment was when we were at the top of this hill in NH where the foliage was on fire. He was going crazy with his camera. I can still see his face now. He was shooting next to Phil and I still have that photo to cherish.

Most of you did not know George. Besides being a fine human being, he was an outstanding photographer. His screen name on the forum was GIC. He still has many posts on the foliage forum. I feel blessed that my path crossed with George through this Scenes of Vermont Foliage Forum.

To know George was to love George and he will be sadly missed. Some of us tried in vain to contact him the past couple of years but to no avail. So I will keep my memories of my few days with George close to my heart.

George, if you are in heaven reading this, know that you were loved. And we miss you.

CT

http://www.kilgorenewsherald.com/news/2 ... MP_JR.html

[Andy]

I "met" GIC early on in my SOV membership. We had some great exchanges, both on the forum and back channel through email. George was an enthusastic photographer with a gifted vision, as well as a kindred spirit. Al, you will be tickled to know that he once emailed me back channel to console me that he didn't think my images were oversaturated and he liked saturated images and shot that way himself. . Don't know that it was true, but thats just the kind of guy George was. He was very much a positive, glass is full kind of guy.

I had the great pleasure of meeting George (and his wife) in person in October, 2010, at Carol's home in Barton. A group of us, including, FAXMACHINEANTHEM, Carol, Al, George, and Carol shot together the next morning. At the end of that week, George spent the better part of two days shooting with me and my Buddy, Rich, in and around Brattleboro. I will forever remember George's easy smile, quick sense of humor, friendliness and generosity. One of my most fun memories with George, was his discovery of a nasty, cracked drain pipe that we shot, dubbing it as George's waterfall, laughing like three school kids the whole time.

we'll miss you George!

[Andy]

Thanks Carol. George was a special guy. Our lives were enriched knowing him and are less rich now that he is gone.

[autzig]

I have many of the same memories that Carol cites. The days we all spent together photographing Vermont were very special to me and George was one of the reasons. He was a very mild mannered man who was easy to like. The fact that he liked Andy's oversaturated photos didn't make me think less of him. Even great guys like George have flaws!

My wife, Lynne, who preferred sleeping to accompanying us on early morning shoots and whose only contact with George was at Carol's for dinner and the next day when we photographed the area around Lake Willoughby, thought he was a very special person. She often asked me if I had heard anything about George and her inquiries prompted me to ask CT about him. His loss is great to those on this forum who knew him. How much greater the loss for his wife.

Al

[faxmachineanthem]

I'm very sad to hear of George's passing. I only met him once, on the day that Carol noted above. That was truly a great day and George was a major reason for it. He had such a humble, humorous, and friendly way about him that was very disarming.

I'll never forget when I left that day, as I drove off George flagged me down to pull over. He had forgotten to give me a little gift he had brought along for us photographers -- a small case for filters and such. I had never met him before and here he was giving me a gift. I remarked to my wife when I got back about George, and what a remarkably positive spirit he had despite his battle with cancer.

God bless you George and your family.

[Andy]

LOL, Al. You KNOW George is up there with that twinkle in his eye, laughing along with us.

[pwt54]

That was a memorable reunion. Watching and listening to hardcore photographers was something new for a beginner like me. George was such a quiet guy, it was hard to believe that he had been to so many places in the world.
He was the type of photographer that could stand behind the camera all day waiting for the perfect shot to appear. Listening to him explain Photoshop to Abby made my head swim. I spent more time watching him take photos than taking my own photos.
That was Beaver Brook Falls in Colbrook, NH, Ctyanky.

[ixl]

I didn't know George as well as some of you, but I'm very sorry to hear of his passing.

[ctyanky]

Thank you Carol for posting these two special photos of George.

These were taken on Route 145 in Colebrook, NH. We drove up to the top of the hill and to our left was the most amazing stretch of blazing trees on a ridge with oranges and golds. We stood there in amazement and everyone had their cameras out! I loved watching George and Phil shoot together. That's why I also included the photo of the two of them together. I think we were all speechless at the sight before us. I'm pretty sure we were on our way to Pittsburg to find me a moose. Maybe Phil remembers better where we were going but I think we ended up at the Canadian border!

Well the last photo of George is very special to me. It makes me smile. I feel so honored to have met George. Then when I look at the photo for an extended period of time, I feel sad. Although we hadn't seen George for a couple of years and perhaps thought we might not see him in the future, the reality of NEVER seeing him again, hurts. The memories of our encounters with George will hold us for many years to come. That I am sure of.

I hope you enjoy the photos of our special friend George Camp. Through our tributes to him, you may understand how much he influenced our lives.

George, we have carried you around in our hearts since we met you and now, when we travel about Vermont during foliage season, you will always be there with us. And we won't ever let go.

[Aspen]

Although I was not as fortunate as some of the SOV members to meet George Camp, knew him by his Scenes of Vermont Foliage Forum signature, GIC. Very sorry to learn of his untimely passing.
I remember the nice picture of the guys lined up to photograph some long view pictures which was posted on the Forum several years ago. At the time, that specific picture was posted on the Foliage Forum, thought it was a clever picture for someone to include the photographers as they stood transfixed, together, trying to capture some beautiful Autumn scenes of Vermont!
For each of you who has a heavy heart dealing with the loss of this wonderful man, may you find comfort in the quotation of Helen Keller:

"What we have once enjoyed,
we can never lose..
All that we love deeply
becomes a part of us"

Aspen

[Utah Baker]

Aspen, what a beautiful quote. I too remember reading GIC's posts. I hope someone here will find away to make this beauiful trribute and photos available to his wife and family. I'm sure they would love to read your memories, and know and feel of your love and appreciation for George. My sincere condolences to all.

[Andy]

I just finished writing a hand-written note to George's wife, which will go in today's mail. I have included the url to this tribute on the site and hope that she will feel comfortable to visit. Many of us met her in 2010, too and she is a delightful lady who must feel immense sadness. They were a beautiful and fun couple.

[ctyanky]

Everyone: here is George's (GIC) website. The photos show what an amazing photographer George was. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do when I revisit them. He has a panorama of Lewis Pond that is awesome from when we all gathered for the SOV reunion. You can magnify the panorama and it is stunning!

http://gic-images.smugmug.com/Other/Fal ... &k=3PvtSq4

[Andy]

Yeah. I was wondering about George's site. And whether his wife will keep it up for a while. I have the same site host (you will see "friend" links between us on George's site). I am not sure what the protocal would be, but I wondered about maybe taking up a collection here to pay for another year so it could stay up. Guess I will have to see if we have any contact from his wife.

[deaner1971]

All,

I am very sorry for your loss.

He sounds like a truly exceptional person and I am very sorry for not having had the chance to meet him.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends like you who miss him so deeply.