Paris Jackson, daughter of the late pop singer Michael Jackson, signs autographs for fans gathered outside the singer’s boyhood home at 2300 Jackson Street in Gary, Ind.,. Wednesday, August 29, 2012. Michael Jackson would have turned 54 on Wednesday.

Since the evening of June 25, 2009, the day pop singer Michael Jackson passed away, I have lost count of the number of times I’ve journeyed to 2300 Jackson Street in Gary, Indiana, to document events at the singer’s boyhood home. Some of them were held to commemorate the day of his passing, while others (as with today’s) celebrated the day of his birth.

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Fireworks explode in the sky over Monroe Harbor and Lake Michigan near Navy Pier in Chicago, Ill., Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Ask anyone who’s known me beyond my recently-accepted adulthood, and they’ll confirm the early existence of my strong entrepreneurial spirit. A fine example of this comes from the summers I spent mowing lawns with my Auntie JoDee between my sixth and eighth grade years. Starting in the spring time, every Saturday morning, I’d pedal my Huffy to her house a block away and fuel up the silver Craftsman grass annihilator. My aunt and I would make quick work of not only her front and back yards, but those of two other homes on Olcott Ave. As compensation, I’d receive anywhere from 10 to 20 dollars, which was a decent chunk of weekly change at age 12.

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The planet Venus (upper right) transits across sun as viewed from Munster, Ind., Tuesday, June 5, 2012. The next transit of Venus will not occur until December, 2117. 800mm (400mm + 2X) ISO 50 @ 1/5000th @ f45.

I had a sinking, sobering moment when I re-read the above photo caption earlier after I wrote it, namely, the last sentence. “The next transit of Venus won’t occur until December, 2117.” That’s right, the next time Venus flirts her way past our main-squeeze of a star, I’ll have my own headstone somewhere. Every stress or worry I have now will be inconsequential. Sheesh! I’ll spare you and myself any further depressing discourse, though I will say that there was something quite therapeutic about photographing something this evening that my eyes will never see again.

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Microwave truck towers on display between the central and south halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center during the NAB show held in Las Vegas, Nevada, Wednesday, April 18, 2012.

There’s a certain, unmistakable camaraderie that exists among people involved in all of the fields that I work in. Even if I’ve just met a fellow photographer or lighting designer, working with them on a complex show or shoot within minutes of a first hand shake, there’s always a mutual respect and understanding right off the bat