Video tribute to Katie

The friends of Katie Reider who are running the 500Kin365.org tribute site posted this video montage that was played at Katie's memorial service. Bittersweet would be the word for it...

Katie Reider Through the Years


You can still go to the site and contribute a buck or so to help out... thanks.

Barrel Roll

My iPod takes an interminably long time to update for some reason, so while I'm waiting for that, just a stray thought or two.

Obviously, Engel wearing an orange barrel on the street IS art.

Had a brief thrill this week when I was contacted by a photo editor at the New York Times asking permission to run one of my shots of Katie Reider in a profile they were doing. I of course granted permission and sent them the high res file immediately. Then they decided there was only room for one photo, which would be the typical singing/playing guitar shot, so mine would not be used. I think I jinxed it when I mentioned it to some people I know in NYC, hoping they could grab me a copy (it was set to run in the Metro section, only available in NYC) so the cosmos must have caught wind of it and stomped on it. When I first got the news, Tia said that it must be karma, after doing what I could to spread the word and promote her fundraiser, which felt sort of warm and fuzzy as a concept. Following that logic, having it pulled out from under me must also be karma, too, possibly for being excited about having a photo published as part of an obituary. Obviously thinking it would be used, then to have it "killed" is harsher than never being considered at all.

Turns out the article focused largely on Katie's continuing to keep faith in God, despite the devastating illness that caused her so much suffering before her death. I don't know... I simply couldn't believe in any god that would subject someone to that kind of torture just to teach them some sort of a lesson. Katie had a female life partner with whom she had two children, a lifestyle so vilified by most "Christians" that it seems to me to add an extra irony to her managing to keep her faith. So many "Christians" would tell her that it must be God's wrath and punishment for being homosexual, yet she kept her understanding of God clear in her mind. While I don't share her belief, I do have to admit that her faith was mighty strong.

Katie Reider, 1978-2008

I found out that Katie Reider passed away this morning due to complications from her fight with cancer. While I'd only met Katie once, in 2006, I did have the pleasure of spending the better part of a day with her and her band taking photographs and just hanging out. She was truly a firecracker of a person and a performer, and I really felt fortunate to meet her and work with her. Here are a few of the many nice shots we got that day...

As her career took off, performances in the area seemed less frequent, and my schedule more hectic with frequent trips on weekends, so I never quite managed to get to see her perform again. Then I started hearing about her health problems, and before I knew it, she was so sick she'd stopped performing. I'd sent words of encouragement thinking she'd recover before long and resume performing. But that's not to be...

While it's tragic when someone like Katie passes, it also serves as a wake-up call to the rest of us that our time is short, and that friends often leave us too soon, and that we'll wish we'd made more time for the important people in our lives. This lesson tends to hit home, but as things return to normal, it's easy to get caught up again in the daily demands of life. I'm going to do my best not to let that happen this time.

Goodbye Katie, your remarkable life and talent will live on in your many fans, friends and family.

For more information, click here or here or visit the band website.

A worthy cause...

Today is the official launch date of an unusual internet project to benefit singer/songwriter Katie Reider, http://www.500kin365.org/, an effort to get 500,000 people to link to the site. Katie is being treated for a rare form of cancer, and I'm guessing her medical bills are staggering. Those linking to her site will be asked to contribute $1.00 but will receive access to music, videos, and photos featuring Katie and her band. I blogged about shooting with her and her band previously, and I hope you will take the time to click this link and take a few minutes to add a link or lend your support.

Here's to your continued successful treatment, Katie, and I hope you raise money to pay for it all and a nice vacation, too. You've earned it!