I received a letter recently that reminded me that I'd been taking some things for granted lately.

Our Better Living cover, which generally features something special about our community, an upcoming or past event, or profiles of local community members, has been featuring a lot of artists lately. I've been fortunate over the years to have hundreds of my pictures on these pages. The artist profiles have generally been environmental portraits (and we all know who is "queen") although I lost my title when someone called me on a recent Sunday morning at 9 am at home to tell me what a terrible picture I had taken of her. (I admit, it was not the most flattering portait I've ever done, "but" she insisted, "I'm not calling to chastise you." I think the reason she was so nice about being annoyed was that she and I had connected on a level which had transcended the picture taking. Writer Rebecca Rothbaum, and I were assigned to interview painter/muralist Nicholas A. Enright, a young artist in his late 20's, who had received an artist-in- residence grant by the Bronx Council on the Arts. Ever hopeful of catching someone "doing" their art, by the time the picture is assigned, there's usually only time to do an environmental portrait. These pictures have become so redundant to me and I'm desperate to break out of the mold. Philosophically, our "BL" flag would not include, say, a story about homelessness, or a compelling feature story on hospice care. I've become a bit complacent and frustrated with the framework of our Better Living section, even as I support coverage of the art producers and culture of our community. Rebecca and I spent 3 hours with Nicky Enright. He has a captivating smile and personality. The Longwood Arts Gallery is located in a school in the South Bronx, which is where his current studio space is located. Nicky's infections enthusiasm extended not only to his own particular art, but his determination to succeed in a business in which many people find fulfillment but not financial success (does this sound vaguely like photography?)

Later on, Rebecca and I both remarked at how nice meeting Nicky had been. Two days later, I received a card in the mail from Nicky, which said: "Dear Susan, It was great to meet you---thank you for taking such an interest in my work. You know how many days artists spend feeling like no one cares...!" I called Nicky back right away to thank him for the card; I said it wasn't often people thanked me before seeing the pictures. His note brought to mind a quandary, with which I've struggled lately. I often wonder how much validation I need as a photographer. At the end of every year many of us find ourselves knee deep in the previous year's work, evaluating scans and prints of daily work to submit to the local and national press photographers association contests. Isn't it enough to simply do the work? Is it enough simply to be published?

On March 27, in Saratoga Springs, I was named Photographer of the Year by the New York Press Association, for my 1998 work for The Riverdale Press. I'd been feeling rather down about photojournalism in general and my feelings about the award weekend were fairly ambivalent... I did not know in advance about the POY award; in fact I felt pretty certain I wasn't a contender for it; I'd won only one other single category award for spot news, and had come up empty in features,and feature picture story, which are probably my strongest categories. When I went up to receive the "wood" it felt like the academy awards, but without the acceptance speech (thank goodness.) The NYPA showed my entire portfolio of images from 1998 on a large screen and there was a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.

When I got back to my table, I received a standing ovation and accolades from many friends and colleagues I've known in the business over the years. The judgment of my colleagues notwithstanding, when I got home, I realized that the true rewards have come from the community and from the work itself. The Press did a front page story on Rebecca, who was named Rookie Reporter of the year and myself. For the last couple of months, people from the community have come up to me on the street, in stores, and in restaurants to congratulate me. Our local State Assemblyman, Jeffrey Dinowitz, no stranger to our newspaper, proposed a legislative resolution, with a lot of "whereas's" honoring Rebecca and me, which was adopted in the NY State Assembly on April 28.

So, this is the way it's been the last few weeks: a few moments of celebrity, and lots of validation. But, Nicholas Enright's card, which was addressed to me at my home with a title I only recently earned suggested he was paying attention, and he did not take that award for granted. In his note to me which said "...you know how many days artists spend feeling like no one cares..." it highlighted for me that I had been on the verge of doing just that. Thanks Nicky, for bringing me back.

Behind the Viewfinder - A Year in the Life of Photojournalism
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