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tonysphotos

Tony O'Leary
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I have been setting back reflecting some lately. Kind of inspired by the song line "Life's been good to me so far". My wife Joan and I have been married for 48 years, we have two grown son's who have never been in any serious trouble just the normal hijinks most teenagers have pulled me included! Our oldest son and his wife have given us three wonderful grandsons. I must not forget my niece and Goddaughter who has also been a constant source of love for me also. My Wife has stood by me through thick and thin over these past 48 years, we've had good times and bad times financially. Not to mention I have made a few bone head mistakes over the years, I have regretted. When I was diagnosed with cancer in my right lung she took my hand and said we'll get through this together like we always have! She was by my side at every doctors visit helping me to explore the best option for me to pursue. The best option we decided on was to remove the a third of my right lung from which I am still trying to come back from, I may never fully recover the stamina I once had Our son's and grandsons have been willing to step up and help when they know I'm struggling some with the chore at hand.

I should add the group of photographers and models I work with. Several of the studios I've been privileged to work in are up quite a few flights of stairs. Many of them have watched for me to arrive and have come down to offer their help in bringing up my gear. So as the line from the song says Life's been good to me so far!

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Happy Times

1 min read
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Lost

2 min read
Sometimes I feel so lost in life, I don't know which way to turn. The last year or so has been that way with it's ups and downs emotionally I've been very stressed and actually a complete nervous wreck. I reached a complete and total mess in April, so I have taken up my camera and ventured out in a direction I always wanted to pursue to keep my mind busy. I haven't and will not give up nature work, but I am pursuing also more artistic portrait work. It all has not been as easy as it seems, but that is why I moved some in the direction. The lighting poses and such make my mind work. One has no choice of background most times when taking nature photos, such as eagles and other wildlife. You catch them where you can and when you can. In shooting portraits you have to keep your mind in the game, so to speak. Some where along the line over these many years. I have somehow lost myself, but I am determined to find myself again. That I promise! My heart has been broken many times in the last 66 years, but never as bad as it was broken in April. I know it will broken again, but I pray never as bad as this!
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10 Years ago

3 min read
10 Years ago I flew into Baton Rouge Louisiana as a Red Cross Volunteer to aid in the Hurricane Relief effort. From there I was dispatched to help run the shelter at Nicholls University in Thibodaux. I had know thought of how it would impact my life, I was a big tuff guy and could take what ever came. When I arrived I busied myself going about what I was trained to do, checking people into the shelter. Seeing to it that the proper amount of meals arrived daily to feed the over four thousand people who had sought refuge with us there. Basicly the Shelter manager the staff and I were to act as the heads of a family of four thousand, seeing to they were safe, healthy and as comfortable as we could make them. Most had come from the flooding in the ninth ward of New Orleans, with very little in the way of personal possessions. One day when I was feeling more then a little overwhelmed by the scope of it all. This little angel appeared by my side clutching in her hand the book Good Night Moon. I was busy as usual doing paper work of some sort to do with the shelter, but with this sweet little almost pleading voice. She ask me could I please read her the book cause I can't read, my mommy always reads me this book and I don't know where she is. One of the ladies I was working with, said take a break and read the kid the book this can wait. I Picked her up on my lap and we read Good Night Moon every morning for the next two weeks. I found out later the first day, she was one of the orphaned or lost children we had in the shelter. You see a lot of families ended up seperated. Finally word came that her Grandmother and Aunt had been found in the Red Cross shelter in Houston TX. this was when I also found out her mother had died in the flooding. We were to get her ready to be turned over to the officials who would then see to it she would be reunited with her Aunt and Grandmother. It took two days for that to happen, I held up pretty good until the day came. We read Good Night Moon that morning as usual, I took her to the bus and assured her everything would be okay and Grandma and her Aunt where waiting for her. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and said I love you, I gave her a big hug told her I loved her too and handed her over. That's when I retreated across the parking lot in front of the stadiums and broke down and cried. I think of her often and hope her life since has gone well. I still volunteer with the Red Cross and probably will for life, there are moments in time when we need to reach out and help those who's lives have been torn apart by disaster sometimes it rips at our hearts, but it's the right thing to do.



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10 Years ago

3 min read
10 Years ago I flew into Baton Rouge Louisiana as a Red Cross Volunteer to aid in the Hurricane Relief effort. From there I was dispatched help run the shelter at Nicholls University in Thibodaux. I had know thought of how it would impact my life, I was a big tuff guy and could take what ever came. When I arrived I busied myself going about what I was trained to do, checking people into the shelter. Seeing to it that the proper amount of meals arrived daily to feed the over four thousand people who had sought refuge with us there. Basicly the Shelter manager the staff and I were to act as the heads of a family of four thousand, seeing to they were safe, healthy and as comfortable as we could make them. Most had come from the flooding in the ninth ward of New Orleans, with very little in the way of personal possessions. One day when I was feeling more then a little overwhelmed by the scope of it all. This little angel appeared by my side clutching in her hand the book Good Night Moon. I was busy as usual doing paper work of some sort to do with the shelter, but with this sweet little almost pleading voice. She ask me could I please read her the book cause I can't read, my mommy always reads me this book and I don't know where she is. One of the ladies I was working with, said take a break and read the kid the book this can wait. I Picked her up on my lap and we read Good Night Moon every morning for the next two weeks. I found out later the first day, she was one of the orphaned or lost children we had in the shelter. You see a lot of families ended up seperated. Finally word came that her Grandmother and Aunt had been found in the Red Cross shelter in Houston TX. this was when I also found out her mother had died in the flooding. We were to get her ready to be turned over to the officials who would then see to it she would be reunited with her Aunt and Grandmother. It took two days for that to happen, I held up pretty good until the day came. We read Good Night Moon that morning as usual, I took her to the bus and assured her everything would be okay and Grandma and her Aunt where waiting for her. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and said I love you, I gave her a big hug told her I loved her too and handed her over. That's when I retreated across the parking lot in front of the stadiums and broke down and cried. I think of her often and hope her life since has gone well



Shelter Angel by tonysphotos
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Happy Times by tonysphotos, journal

Lost by tonysphotos, journal

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10 Years ago by tonysphotos, journal

The Circle of Life by tonysphotos, journal