They get so big, so fast

That is, big in fame, recognition, success, and more importantly, self accomplishment.

The average age of my students was 20 when I taught them at School of Visual Arts from 1996-2003, and I was only a handful of years older than the first crew in 1996. As any professor knows, you come across many types of personalities that fill the seats surrounding you. Some were not mentally prepared to pursue a life as an artist, as their passion was lacking, but there were a few students in which I had full confidence in seeing again, outside of SVA and the education walls.

Brian Finke is one of those memorable students. His outstanding environmental portraiture photography seems to pop out at me in occasional Nike ads or stock books.

Another former student, Manuela Paz, has a photography opening Nov 8 at Gallery W 52 in NYC. She's kept my email for almost 7 years, and sends updates on her work. I'm proud of her continued success, and hope that maybe somewhere in the back of her ambitious college memories, she and a few others remember some of the lessons from their energetic digital photography teacher.