Carl’s Last Shutter Click was a (Life) Long Exposure

I was thinking about calling yet never got around to it.

For months, I had been getting word by direct message via my friend @pumpkiny- screenshots of Facebook posted photos shared by Carl Berger, typical scenes of St George, details of a bird, and light. Always seeing light (she knows I am not inside Facebook).

Alas, her most recent message was dreaded one, that Carl Berger’s life camera had stopped.

I knew from earlier shared messages his health was not good. I did see a few of his photos show up on his flickr account, as always, he was experimenting with some new geek technology- a Paper Shoot camera. I commented on a few, sent emails, but gathered his attention and energy might have been low. But he kept taking photos, the last one I saw was uploaded to Flickr April 15.

I’ve already written of what Carl Berger meant to me, the influence he was on my career, his genuine interest as an experience educator, and just how we loved to geek out together. He was a tech supporter/enthusiast, but never for technology’s sake, he was always interested in how people learn.

Wow my memory post of my interactions with Carl was more than a year ago.

I wrote that “time is essencing” but again I lost track of it. I am most grateful and fortunate to have the visits to his St George home in 2010 and 2015, our photo treks to Zion National Park and Snow Canyon State Park, and mostly, just the earnest conversations.

From my 2015 visit I remember how we were sitting in his living room and, curious as he was, he asked my about what was my heavy involvement in the digital storytelling world DS106 and specifically, DS106radio. I suggested, of course, that we go live and have a conversation, using from those old days, the Nicecast desktop broadcasting software.

We scored the high mark of zero listeners, but I did record the conversation, and I am fortunate to be able to have a bit of Carl’s voice forever. I wish I would have called him in the last months, but cherish this.

I send my deepest regrets to Carl’s wife Shari and the rest of his family. He was a great spirit, curious, eager to listen, infectious with his excitement, and just one fine human I was lucky to get to go out and take pictures of rocks and flowers together.

Even at 79 on our last outing to Snow Canyon State Park, Carl was out there chasing the light, climbing the sandstone, living fully.

There he goes. Always.

Featured Image: From our last photo time together in St George, Utah. Always loving being behind the camera, I miss you Carl. The Eye of Carl Berger flickr photo by cogdogblog shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license

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