June 2025 DPA Newsletter
June 2025 DPA Newsletter:
Helping a Fellow Baby Boomer Get Back Behind the Lens
A Quick Lesson on Approaching Strangers for Street Photography
Social Media Spotlight
June FinerWorks Winners!
Photo by Digital Photo Academy instructor Eric Tilson in Cleveland.
June arrives in full bloom, vibrant and unhurried. The days are long, the light is rich, and everything hums with quiet confidence. Fields sway, cities simmer, and summer begins to settle in. Whether you’re drawn to golden evenings, sun-drenched adventures, or the stillness between moments, now’s the time to embrace warmth and clarity in your storytelling. Let your lens reflect the season’s steady glow.
Digital Photo Academy is pleased to bring you the latest updates and photography inspiration in our recently relaunched monthly newsletter. This is all made possible by our valued sponsor, Finerworks.
Helping a Fellow Baby Boomer Get Back Behind the Lens
After a hard fall and a broken camera, longtime DPA instructor Jerry Downs is healing—and we’re rallying to get him shooting again.
Photo by Private Workshop Student Bob Britton (using his Sony A7CR).
What Happened:
During a private photo workshop at San Francisco’s Ferry Building, longtime DPA instructor Jerry Downs had an unexpected and painful mishap: he tripped and fell face-first onto the pavement. His camera broke his fall—possibly saving his eye—but was destroyed in the process. Jerry, ever the teacher and performer, kept his humor and composure before seeking help.
He’s thankfully okay (no internal injuries, no broken bones), but his trusty camera—responsible for over 800,000 photos across more than a decade—is gone.
Photo taken by Jerry during the Ferry Building Workshop.
Here’s how Jerry explains it in his own words:
“First of all IT’S NOT AS BAD AS IT LOOKS! Yesterday, I did a faceplant on a sidewalk in San Francisco. The picture was taken by Bob Britton, who was taking a private photo class with me. It was before I knew how bad it looked so, after wiping away the blood, I was clowning for the camera. Then I got it checked out by some EMTs at the Ferry Building. They bandaged me up, I took the ferry home and then went to the ER, got a CAT scan to get checked out for internal bleeding and broken bones. I passed that with flying colors then got my wounds glued together. When I fell, my camera broke my fall and may have even saved my eye. My camera did break, so I’ll have to figure that out, but I can see just fine and amazingly, except for the initial hit, I have felt absolutely no pain. I’m counting my blessings, admiring my huge black eye and laying low today.”
A Quick Lesson: Approaching Strangers for Street Photography
Before the fall, Jerry was leading an inspiring workshop on street portraiture. His student Bob described it as a “great workshop with lots of lightbulb Ah-Ha moments,” and we think this moment of instruction is worth sharing in full:
BY JERRY DOWNS: PHOTO OF THE DAY 5-26-25
Yesterday, while giving a private photowalk, our first stop was the Farmers’ Market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. I asked Bob, my student, if he liked to take pictures of people. He said he did, but he felt intimidated. I replied, “Okay, well, today we are going to take care of that. Let’s start right here at this honey stand. Those two are great.” I walked up and introduced us and told them we were doing a photowalk and taking pictures of people at the Farmers’ Market, and asked if we could take their picture, and that we would be happy to send them the pictures. They answered yes.
There were no customers waiting, so I included them in the process. I said that it’s intimidating getting your picture taken. You don’t know what to do. So, it’s not only okay to tell your subjects what to do, it is also a good idea. At that point, I told our subjects to stand right here in front of the sign and hold the yellow-capped honey bear in front of your dark sweater to help balance out the yellow of the sign and the yellow slicker. I looked at Bob and said, if there is more than one photographer, instruct the subject/s to look at one photographer at a time. Then I gave Bob and the darling pair another portrait tip, “Instead of looking at the camera, look into the lens. It’s the difference between looking at someone’s face or looking into their eyes. It makes a huge difference.”
“There,” I said, “now get a little closer and act like you like each other.” They laughed, and we took pictures, one person at a time.
Help Jerry Get Back Behind the Lens
Photo taken by Jerry during the Ferry Building Workshop.
Jerry is 78. His camera was more than a tool—it was part of his body, his artistry, his joy. After many friends and students asked to help, Jerry finally agreed to let us share his Venmo for those who want to chip in toward a replacement camera:
→ Venmo: @GERARD-DOWNS
(Feel free to include a note like “For your next 800,000 photos!”)
Jerry says:
“A FOOTNOTE ON MY SMASHED FACE AND BROKEN CAMERA: First off, thank you all for your hundreds of kind comments and concerns for me and my well being. The bloody black eye has stabilized and I, miraculously, have yet to feel any pain. A selfie of my black eye was the last picture I took with the camera that broke when it broke my fall and most likely saved my eye. It has served me well having taken over 800,000 pictures. That includes most all of the images you have seen me post for the last 11 years. Among the over 1,000 comments, on various pages, were offers to help me get a camera back in my hands. I’m humbled and thankful. If you would like to be a part of my art you can send any amount via VENMO: @GERARD-DOWNS and know that every picture of mine that you see in the future you had a hand in creating. Again, thank you. Love, Jerry”
And a Huge Thanks to Private Workshop Student Bob Britton
A final word of gratitude goes to Bob Britton, Jerry’s student that day, whose warm and supportive voice—along with his gracious permission to share—adds heart and humanity to this story.
Below is the full text conversation between Bob and DPA Founder Richard Rabinowitz, shared with Bob’s blessing:
RICHARD:
Hello Bob! I’ve been chatting with Jerry and he texted me the terrifying photograph of his bloody face and forwarded one that you captured as well. He claims that he is not in pain although I don’t see how that can be. He did go and check to make sure that there was no brain hemorrhaging and luckily, he seems to be OK. Give me a call so we can make sure that we can manage expectations.
BOB:
Hello Richard! It was a pretty bloody moment. But all is well and I actually had a great workshop (private lesson!) with lots of great information and several important lightbulb Ah-Ha moments. So it was a fully successful workshop until the unpleasantness happened. I am so glad Jerry is okay. Looking forward to the next one! Thanks!
RICHARD:
Well, this is a moment we will all remember. Can I put your comment on our website under Jerry’s bio or would you find that offensive? Personally, Jerry and I would find it intriguing. You know he destroyed his camera during the fall and I’m trying to talk him into doing a fundraiser so he can get his following to help him buy a new camera.
BOB:
Oh that would be fine to include my comment in Jerry’s bio. I am so sorry to hear about his camera. Keep me informed about a fundraiser. Dang. I was looking at Jerry’s head and not his camera but I did see it hit the ground hard.
RICHARD:
I just sent our text exchange to Jerry and Ryan who is writing the upcoming newsletter for June and we were wondering about using it as the lead photograph of Jerry and texting back-and-forth between you and I. Sometimes I have instincts that are inappropriate and I’m wondering what you think about using this photograph of Jerry and the texting between you and me. If you know me, you might say, “Richard you’re a fun guy, but you are completely warped.” You might be right and I’m just asking for your opinion. I will say that if it does lead to a fundraiser, Jerry would get all of the money. Jerry is 78 and I’m 72 years old and don’t know how these things work but Ryan and a number of other people who work on social media and the newsletter are in their 20s and 30s. What do you think?
BOB:
Oh, fine by me to whatever you would like to do and I am happy to help a fellow baby boomer any way I can. Keep those instincts percolating! :-))
Social Media Spotlight: Seniors, Selfies, and Heroism
A Photo and Story that Capture the Essence of Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs.
In his recent workshop, DPA instructor Jerry Downs took a dramatic fall—but found comfort in the kindness of his student, Bob.
It seems like human kindness has been running rampant lately! Recently, our fearless leader Richard had a different kind of “senior moment,” involving a garbage can, a lost set of car keys, and an unexpectedly heroic Walgreens employee.
It’s not your typical photogenic scene or social media post. But like so many moments shared in our Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs Facebook community, it reminds us that kindness, patience, and connection are still alive and well—and worth spotlighting.
Read the text from the full post below!
Or click here to go directly to it on Senior Shutterbugs!
Senior Citizens Matter. So Does Kindness. This Photo Tells Both Stories.
Upon first glance, this selfie probably doesn’t scream “artistic brilliance,” and I’d agree. It’s a bit different from our usual visual posts. But the story behind it—and, more importantly, what it represents—is at the very heart of why we created our sister social media page, the “Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” Facebook group.
(Here’s the link to Senior Shutterbugs if you’d like to check the group out and see inspiring photos and stories: https://www.facebook.com/groups/999313021058041).
That’s me on the right. Richard Rabinowitz, founder of Digital Photo Academy. And yes, my spouse of 46 years would be horrified to know I left the house without showering. She’s in Norway at the moment, so for now, I’m betting on forgiveness over permission.
The dapper fellow on the left is Antonio Romano, Shift Lead at Walgreens Store #10914 in Newburgh, NY. What happened with Antonio is what makes this post worth sharing—and hopefully, worth reading: a reminder that kindness, empathy, and good old-fashioned customer service still exist.
I had an errand to pick up some meds, which I usually do with my wife. She has a genius for navigating the mysterious, labyrinthine cost-saving backdoors of the healthcare system. But this time I went solo.
All went fine until I got back to my car… and my keys were gone. I knew immediately it was my fault (classic senior moment!) and turned back inside to retrace my steps.
That’s when I approached Antonio. Earlier, I had noticed him helping one customer after another like he truly cared, which is, let’s be honest, becoming rare these days. I explained my situation, and without the slightest sign of annoyance, he jumped in to help.
We walked through the aisles, trying to trigger my memory. Candy section? Vitamins? Greeting cards? No luck.
Then Antonio remembered something I hadn’t even considered. He’d seen me toss some trash into the garbage bin at the store’s entrance. Could I have dropped my keys in there?
I half-heartedly tried to spare him from checking, saying I’d dig through the trash myself, secretly hoping he’d take over. And he did. He actually ran (yes, ran) to get gloves, came back, and started fishing through a fairly disgusting collection of store trash.
Sure enough, moments later, with a big grin, Antonio pulled my slimy keys from the bottom of the bin. You can even see the gloves in the photo.
I insisted on a selfie—he flinched but kindly agreed.
Now, if you’re still reading, I’d say this is in many ways an embodiment of what “Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” is really about. This story, like many shared by our senior community, isn’t just about photography. It’s about people. Yes, we post photos, but more than that, we share moments, reflections, and stories that matter. Stories that remind us we are not alone. That kindness still exists. That seniors have something meaningful to say and still make important contributions every single day.
As one of the founding members of the page, I’ve always felt our mission goes beyond photography. We’re here to say, “Hey, seniors aren’t invisible. We’re thoughtful. We’re creative. We’re paying attention. And sometimes, we lose our keys.”
If I manage to follow through with sending a hard copy of this note to Walgreens CEO Rosalind Brewer, or if by any chance this post makes its way to your desk, please know this is not a complaint—quite the opposite. This is the second time I’ve felt moved to write about an employee at Walgreens. The first was in August 2023, about Jacqueline Bardini, a phenomenal pharmacist at this same store. Your customers are lucky to have Antonio on the team in Newburgh. You certainly are as well.
And Antonio, thank you for showing up, for caring, and for making my day better. Seniors need people like you—really, everyone does. Those who go the extra mile with kindness and patience. I’m glad you agreed to capture this moment with me, because it’s a reminder that good people still make a difference.
June FinerWorks Award Winners
Every month, our judges select 2 of our social media members to receive an HD Metal print of one of their photos, printed by our sponsor Finerworks.
We choose one winner from each of our Facebook groups:
“Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” and “Digital Photo Academy Community”
| Posted on our “Digital Photo Academy Community” Facebook group by Jamie Gill: |
| Posted on our “Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” Facebook group by Mandy Davies: |
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