“The journey itself is my home” .. Basho”

Yokohama, Japan: 1954

My earliest memories are of Japan. I was 3 to 4 years old when we lived in Yokohama, but the sights, smells, and people were so different they left an indelible impression on my sprouting brain.

It was normal for us (and most military families) to move every 1 to 3 years. Many were transferred every 6 months! That has its good and bad points. The good is that you always get to see new places, learn about foreign cultures (Texas is quite foreign), and experience things which most people never have the opportunity. The bad is that you make friends fast…and lose them even faster. That’s why I created the Military Brats Registry in 1997. I wanted to find my friends and I knew that thousands of other Military Brats wanted to do the same.

I spent Kindergarten through third grade in 2 schools, one in Concord, CA and the other in El Paso, Texas. Then we moved on base at Fort Bliss, TX in 1960. This was my first school on a military base. I remember showing up for the first day of fourth grade. It was always hard to be the ‘new kid’ in the class. But this time was different. Since everyone else was a Military Brat, they all knew what it was like to be the new kid, and I was accepted right away. That year and a half provided some great memories.

I began searching for my friends from Bliss Elementary sometime around 1990. It wasn’t easy to do since the Internet wasn’t accessible at the time. When I started the Registry, I set up a page called “Marc’s Personal Search.” It took 9 months before the first former classmate found the site and contacted me. Since then, I have located 13 of them!

“Not all those who wander are lost” .. JRR Tolkien

The Journey

During high school and college I began my career in broadcasting at KDFM radio in Walnut Creek, CA. It wasn’t long before I found out I had a natural gift as a cameraman (my professors said so!). In 1972 I moved to Hollywood to get into “big time television.” It was a struggle, but an enjoyable one. I shot the first commercial for the “Chia Pet” and said “It’ll never sell.” My stock market advice is equally as good.

In 1984 I received a call from documentary producer, Robert Drew. I shot several award winning documentaries with him, including:

• || Warnings From Gangland (1984-85) A Los Angeles gang attacks a grocer and his family who fight back with the aid of the police and the courts. 58 minutes. Broadcast “Frontline”, PBS.
• || Shootout on Imperial Highway (1984-85) Los Angeles gang goes to jail where its members tell their side of their war with a grocer, his family and the police, all of whom meet again in a Los Angeles courtroom. 58 minutes. Broadcast “Frontline,” PBS.
• ||For Auction, An American Hero|| For Auction: An American Hero (1985-86) Auctioneer travels Nebraska disposing of farms, farmers and one of America’s great traditions. 58 minutes. Broadcast PBS. duPont/Columbia Award; Best Documentary. Emmy Nomination. Nyon Festival; Special Recognition. Cine Golden Eagle.
• || Your Flight is Cancelled (1988-89) World’s busiest airport when a thunderstorm strikes. 45 minutes. Broadcast “Frontline,” PBS. Emmy Nomination, ’88.
• || L.A. Champions (1994) High school basketball captains are celebrated as they contest for the championship, then graduate into lawless, jobless streets of South Central L.A. 58 Minutes. Funded CPB Broadcast PBS.
• || (2010) “Protect Kashgar” is about the Chinese government’s project to save an ancient city and its people from the possibility of a disastrous earthquake.
• || (2015) ““GLF Tea USA“. While living in China I became fascinated with tea. I learned about white tea, which is truly the healthiest of all teas. Along with Mark Williams, I co-produced and starred in a 30-minute infomercial that educates and entertains the viewers about this beneficial drink. You can watch the video in the gallery at GLFTeaUSA.com.

The “Art of Seeing”
_{by Wynn Selwynn}

We often look, but we seldom see.

The “Art of Seeing” is what puts certain photographers into the category “artist.” These people have developed an almost sixth- sense about places, objects, people…and events.

The untrained eye misses these little vignettes of the world, but the artist-photographer finds beauty and enigma in the commonplace, unusual in the usual, and meaning in the apparently meaningless.

The world holds subtle delights and surprises for those who will only take a second look. With that intense second look and articulate use of his camera, he strives to share these things with those of us who are not blessed with the “Art of Seeing.”