The Blog of Death

For those who did not know Simon in his later years, it might be a bit comforting to know that he was a very active contributor to the Panorama Photography Mailinglist, despite his growing handicaps, until 1-2 years ago.
Yes, that's 80 years old; he was the oldest Net-user I knew 5 years ago, (when I first met him online), and still is.
One of the reasons he also sent me snail-mail stuff (old articles/collumns), apart from sharing a passion for panorama photography, is that Simon was a scholar from late photographer Frits Rotgans, a Dutchman, like me.
And inbetween I also helped him finding another old friend he lost track of in Holland (talk about a small world: I noticed a rare type of panorama camera (Hulcherama) in a Dutch shop, wrote all spec's down, including serial number (very low, that made it interesting), and told Simon about it....turned out that Simon was the spiritual father of that camera, a quick check at the factory revealed that it once belonged to this old Dutch friend (Bart Mulder, mostly known for his panorama's of Schiphol airport, the last main reconstruction of 2-3 decades ago).
Hence the trigger to start looking for his friend Bart too....Smile)

And, as said, not just the oldest Net-user I knew, but on top of that handicapped after a stroke, typing with one hand/finger, poor vision requiring a HTML-font size of 40 or so (my address on his snail mail letters to me were also printed very large).

My hat off for this remarkable bundle of energy, full of pranks, always digging up old & forgotten/never-told details of camera-production & prototypes, never too shy to ruffle some feathers and stepping on some toes, sharing his wonderful passion with others until the very last.

Dear Simon,

I truely wish I had known you earlier, before your last trip to Holland, and meeting you in person.

You will be my favorite sample of how to get old without ever really retiring, for a long time to come.

Goodbye dear Friend, the world has lost a great writer, photographer and inventor, may heaven reward you with an even wider view on the world than you have given us in all the years.
Let those heads spin up there!....Wink)

PS, as yet another almost forgotten detail, even including space-travel history, a recent note from Edward Meyers, his old editor at Pop Photo:

xxxxxxxxxxxx
In the 1960s to the 1980s Simon often came to my home for dinner.
In the 1970s he told me to pick up a friend of his from the local
airport and bring him to my home for dinner. So I brought Jeff Bremmer
to my home. Simon brought Jerry Brown, also for dinner. Bremmer
worked for NASA and Brown worked for Nikon. Over my dinner table
they discussed taking the Nikon camera into space.

Many things like this happened with Simon. Ed
xxxxxxx

And, much less mundane:
xxxxxxx
On The.

Here's another one.
Simon walked into my office at Pop Photo the day his column
was due (I was his editor). I ask, where is your column? He
answers, I started it, he replied. How much is done? I ask.
He says, "first word....The"...give me a typewriter...can
I have my check today?"

My telephone rings. I answer it. It's a famous P.R. person
from a big photo company. He says that he just received a
postcard from Simon which has the letters G S I Y H on it.
What does this mean, he asks me, as Simon is rolling in
laughter on the floor. (Go **** In Your Hat). I answer,
George Santayana Is Your Hero. I saved the day, again. Ed
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And, one of my favorites:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ajit Cheema wrote:

> ----- Original Message -----
> From:Simon Nathan
> To: Ajit Cheema
> Sent: Thursday, September 23, 1999 12:38 AM
> Subject: QUESTION
>> DEAR AJIT- HAVE YE THE UNITED NATIONS STAMP MADE FROM ONE
>> OF MY AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM A BLIMP?
>
> I did at one time - one each of your stamp and John Isaacs stamp. Jane
> hung on to everything I had except the shirt I wore.... Literally.
> John told me a funny story about half a potty seat. IS IT TRUE? LOL
> Ajit
>

dear ajit- please print your snail mail address so i can copy it onto
envelopes.i do not know the abbreviation LOL. the potty seat is
explained herewith by the the originator, no matter what john isaacs has
told you. this is farm joke my brother bob told me some years back. guy
goes into a hardware store and he says to the clerk: "i wanna buy half a
toilet seat for my half ass brother." to straighten out my frequent
flyer acct with northwest airlines about 1985/6 i awarded then one such,
lettered for their half ass ff program. i sent it to the boss of vp
running ff program at nwa. it did get straightened out. i'd used this
with kodak before that. i buy brand new toilet seats, usually white, and
personally saw them in half. on this subject i will save the fuji
presentation till we can face to face. it was at the united nations when
they honored me with luncheon when panoramic stamp came out, 1989. going
through security guard asked if i hadda take all that stuff with me. i
said i was being honored at luncheon in delagates dining room. he peered
into open shopiing bag, "a toilet seat?" i beg your pardon, sir, but
that is half a toilet seat! lots more to the story.isaacs wasn't there,
heard it from jan ralph who was. signed-simon

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Would love to hear any similar stories in Bond-context, (which I knew *nothing* about btw....Simon never told me, the bastard....Smile).
Perhaps even from film-crews of that time, if any of those hangs around here?

(actually, one of the members on the Panorama Photography Mailinglist asked for this kind of anecdotes/documentation too, to create some kind of record about the life of famous panorama photographers....so if anyone knows anything (or anybody of that time) in the Bond-context too: the sharing is for a good cause!

Thank-you all for you stories . I know some of you and some of the stories but my Dad traveled extensively so many names are new. Who could keep up with his exhuberant pace?. He used to say "i live on Delta airlines. I have many stories to tell from s a different view. My Dad. As a young child I was the only one whose father wore a magic marker belt (made by my Uncle Bob) so he would always be ready to create and color something. The legacy continues on a mini scale. I am a tad under the weather and I miss thos bright blue eyes and laugter something fierce. I will write a bit more soon.
Nancy Nathan #1 daughter

Seeing Simon's obit in the NY Times was a sad shock. I knew Simon for many years and we spent a lot of time together traveling in Europe. I was a helper on several of his books and am the young man (then) that appears in several 'Camera in Paris' articles.
He was an odd man with a truly original mind and, at times, could be difficult, but was usually a wonder and pleasure to be with. Simon was a loyal friend and a unique person who will be sorely missed.

Fred Thomas

I met Simon in late 1975. We were about the same size, a size that is difficult to fit in Japan where I live.
In May 1977 my house burned and I was left with the clothes on my back basically. Simon emptied his closet into a couple of suitcases, hopped a plane and flew into Narita. He emptied the suticases at my house and HE left with the clothes on his back, and I had a restocked closet including a red, white and blue sports jacket. If you knew Simon you know about red, white and blue.

I haven't forgotten that I was planning a memorial to Simon ,a sort of Simon story gathering of sorts equipped with a diverse collection of his famous envelopes, post cards, prints?, favorite ice cream flavors and lots of laughter. Many heartfelt tears have accompanied these past few months. I miss so !!!!
Please send me a line or two with an email address, snail mail or phone #. The hardest thing is trying to figure out who to invite and how to coordinate it all. All idea welcome.
Nancy #1 daughter

I met Simon in the early 90's when he was in his late sixties. He was visiting my Art Director [frog collector] Jack McKie. I was a copywriter and collector of artichokes. For the next ten years or so, I had the great privilege of receiving S-s-s-simon envelopes, clippings, popsicle sticks, postcards and Wendy's wrappers nearly every day. I also got to accompany him on two trips once to Japan, once China (in 1992 & 1993). My favorite Simon story happened in Hong Kong when, knowing I how much I hate cologne and aftershave, after a petty disagreement, he whipped a tiny perfume sampler out of his pocket and smeared it all over his face. We got to spend the rest of the day walking around by ourselves. Simon was a one in a million and I'm honored have had him for a friend.
– signed j-j-j-ane hanstein cunniffe

I met Simon over a microwaved hot dog at his west 80th Street apartment in the fall of 1981. I was about to embark upon producing my second 360° slide show.

He spoke so quickly as he scurried about his red white and blue adorned apartment. He enlightened me as to what panoramic photography was about by bombarding me with 120/220 filmstips of all the different images he had filed away in his cabinets, baskets and piles.

Travelling with him on jobs were amazing educational experiences. Debating the virtues of different camera gear and all kinds of electronics.

Teaching me different techniques to get around the cold call.
Introducing me to his friends and clients with impromptu appointments. Getting calls at strange or inconvenient hours saying, “meet me at...in 30 minutes...and by the way dress warm” always proved to be a wonderful time.

One time we joined the Coast Guard for an icebreaking tour of Manhattan Island in January and it included lunch. Another time he sponsored a family member of his favorite Cuban/Chinese restaurant on Broadway from China to immigrate to the US and they just arrived. A party ensued at a dim sum restaurant in Chinatown. It was the large Chinese family, Simon, my wife, me...and a party—a party a caucasian in Chinatown only observes from a far.

And then there was his marketing technique...MAILART. It was wonderful...every few days a new beautiful canvas, his envelopes would appear colorful and full of pertinent information to a conversation you once had...

He gave, gave, gave and never stopped.

peter

I will post some of his envelopes in a few days.

It has been almost a year since simon left us. I still miss him and I just noticed that I still have 10-15 cans of slim-fast on top of my cabinet that he brought me in his suitcase in the early 90s to help me lose my big gut - I did, but it came back bigger than ever.

Does anybody remember simon's self-published
Simon Says Photography Newsletter from the 80s? I think I have every copy except one possibly.

IT SUCKS

I keep thinking I will stop missing him as you do most people after a while.

I realize that day will never come. He was a force and cared for all of us in a very sincere way.

I could never match his unending energy and enthusiasm for this life. He truly was the most remarkable person I ever met.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIMON!!!

THIS WOULD BE #84

Today (05/11/13) a young Japanese photographer that I met thru Simon 18 years ago dropped by my house to bring me a White Sox cap (He had just finished covering the world series and White Sox second baseman Iguchi.) and a shopping bag heavy with American car and computer magazines which he had hauled all the way back to japan for me.

Simon affected people that way.

Today (1-28-06) is S-S-S-Simon's half birthday.
I guess it would have been 84.5 What a great loss for the postal service, walt burton, and everyone who knew him.

SIGN IN FOR SIMON.It is almost 3 years to the date since my Dad physically left the planet. AS each day passes it hasn't become any easier not having him to call or get a postcard from. I miss himm terribly. What makes it so hard is since he was ALWAYS traveling I just think he will call me soon and meet me for lunch with some neet new marker or toy,gadget,camer,pix or whatever. He sometimes couldn't wait to show me something he thought was NEET and would stop by my job. I wish he would just stop by. On the other hand I know he is around as the breakfast cereal and ice cream companies are still catering to his Sweet Tooth. Things I miss His Energy, His mail, and most of his exhuberance and sense of humor. Other things I miss are hearing from his friends. I still am working on a small booklet of best Simon stories. I know I've been absent (really sick) but am happy to report am on themend , even walking!! PLease send any Simon stories to nnathan@mindspring.com THanx to you all.
#1 daughter Nancy Nathan

1st Daughter Nancy,

Send your snail mail address to me at ferg8088@yahoo.com and I will send you my new e-mail address and maybe an audio tape or two of Simon talking to me.

Harley

I may be the only fan of Simon's who has has a nearly complete collection of his wonderful snail mailed newsletter from God know how long ago. He and a fellow in the Rocky Mountain area named Jim Elder who appeared in Camera 35 were my two main photographic inspirations/heroes doing my very extended youth. We're talking early Sixties on. Wish I could have met the man!
Sorry to post so darn late but better late than never...

Jim Felt.Hi Can you email me you phone number I would love to talk with you or you can email me at nnathan@mindspring.com . When I read you post I smiled and have wanted to say how much I miss getting snail mail from my Dad. It was the one constant in my life.Messages changed and content of the envelope but for 47 years plus it was my main form of communication from my dad.I used to draw on envelopes with Fawcett publications return address when my dad was writing some of his early photo how to books. My mom still has them . They look great and have the embossed 2 or 3 cent stamp on them. The remainder of my life I almost always received a post card saying. "Can you guess which one of your parents is on a 757 on the way to Frankfurt?" or wherever he was on his way to.Unsigned. He thought this was soo funny and I loved knowing where he was. My memories of drawing,painting,stamping envelopes both for and with him are vivid as the colors and designs he so often used. Someone thought Simon had arranged for someone to keep sending mail in his style as a sort of "I am still here" joke, but he was way too sick to have orchestrated that. I wish I had, it would have made him laugh. Other than his technological knowledge, his quick wit, uncanny timing and many more endearing and sometimes not so endearing qualities, the single thing almost everyone saved was envelopes from Simon.
I miss him sooo much
Nancy Nathan #1 daughter

To the children and friends of Simon Nathan:

I've known Simon since early in 1964 when I left the industrial motion picture industry and went to the original Calumet making view cameras, lenses, lab equipment and shooting all the photos for the advertising and cataloging, we did everything in those days.

It is hard to to explain Simon, he had a great mind for photographic technology, cameras, and was a terrific writer, I know because I contributed hundreds of photo magazine articles and he was better at it than all of our contemporaries. But, he was also "Crazy Simon" with a wild sense of humor. Some of our friends like Paul Farber, Ed Meyers, Burt Keppler and others liked to trade Simon Nathan stories.

And Nancy, I remember the magic marker belt as well. I received dozens of decorated post cards from him. In some cases he would send a letter to me, ONE DECORATED WORD at a time, taking weeks to get the message. Simon aften talked about his daughter and son, although I didn't meet you, it was as though I knew you.

The story of buying a manikin and dressing it in a Batman costume for his daughter's birthday or taking his son (on his birthday) to the pier where he confessed that he owned a ship. At the ship he had someone paint on the stack of the ship, "A Simon Nathan Production" (naturally he got into trouble for that - but that was normal too). Then he and Fred Thomas conned John Durniak that into believing that Fred was going to introduce an 8x10 SLR, it became a huge joke in our industry. When I lived in Redondo Beach the door bell rang at around 2:00 AM, I stumbled to the door and it was Simon, "Lynn, do you and Gena mind if I sleep on your couch". "Of course" I said yes but asked why he wasn't staying at his brother's house only only 10 minutes away and his answer was that his sister in law was mad at him and he "wasn't welcome". This had to do with hundreds of post cards and letters sent to his brother about one of his jokes, the infamous Illinois license plate scam. Of course you may remember the letter from the psychiatrist from the Menninger Clinic assuring the world that Simon was sane.

We had many famously funny stories about Simon that we (his friends) shared, however, we all openly agreed that he was the best photo writer we ever knew, and he was equally a very good photographer as well as a true expert in wide field work. I spent many hours in his studio/lab in the basement of the "Corsetorium" in the city where we shared a great deal of information about photography developments.

I'm sorry that I had to find out Simon's death here on the internet. A while back my emails to him were returned and an acquaintance said that he had been ill, so this morning I pulled up Simon Wide and Simon nathan and found this. I'm a professor of Photographic Technology among and among other things I teach a course in Photo History, Simon will be one of the subjects of my classes.

I hope this reaches you all,

Lynn lynn@austincc.edu (512) 223 4795

Prof. H. Lynn Jones
Photographer/Writer/Cinematographer
Formerly with The Rangefinder and Photo Lab Mgmt.

Today is the third anniversary of Simon leaving us in body. He will never leave us in spirit.

See ya, Simon!

PS: New e-mail: tokiookie@gmail.com

Hi all,
3 years and still missing him. No one to keep me and my marker collection up to snuff. No one who appreciates lean Cuisine's latest flavor combo,no one to keep my wit sharp. That and many many more things are pat of whom my Dad was too me. I am smarter, stronger, quick witted , often self ritcheous, more creative and certainly for the most part a better person for having had my Dad be who he was. Thanks Dad, for the good , the bad and all that came between . I found a penny today , Gram would be smiling.Loe always
nancy#1 and only daughter

Happy almost Birthday Dad,
You never liked store bought cards . Why would you. You did love receiving postcards with heart cut out punches Saying whomever finds this I love you. I miss getting mail from you as I imagine so may others do too. Dad you would love that your envelopes seem to be the single most item saved by those lucky and some unlucky receipts of your mail. from the brown nose to apparent brown smeared paint across the envelope to the coordinating stamps with postmarks world wide. I just miss it all, you lean cuisine, chinese food , new markers, nifty toys,niftier ideas and the ability to make me feel I could achieve anything. You were tough , a tough act to follow as we would say post Betty W days. I love you and always have you in my thoughts, heart and mind. pretty mushy stuff for Sim.
Your#1 and only daughter
nancy

Happy Birthday Dad
Today he would have been 86. his dad lived into his 90's as seems to be the gift of the nathan genes. So much to miss, life is less colorful with him not on the planet. But his color , candor , quick wit and unique style lives with me in spirit
Love # 1 daugter
nancy 917 312 6750

Dear sirs: like a photo amateur 1st and professional later, I always remember articles in publications like Pop Photo, a permanent reference guide, and publications like the 35 mm
handbook.
Sincerely yours,Silvio Andrade
BUENOS AIRES
ARGENTINA

From all the 88 DeCamp Bus Drivers You will surely
be missed. I was one of the fortunate drivers to recive a postcard, or large brown envelope from all over the globe....Thank you for thinking about me all those years... madison

I came to know Simon as his potential rep and things developed into a friendship. We traveled to Japan and I was the recipient of many, many, many painted postcards and letters from all over the world (but mostly NY). He was a true inspiration and I miss him like you read about. His apartment was always cluttered to the ceiling with the most unusual photographs and newspapers and everything under the sun... When we were in Japan, he bought me two watches and threw his wristwatch into the ocean.... and said "Now, I'll always know where my watch is.".... He was truly a one of a kind.... uniquely original individual... Wish I had spent more time with him.

Simon inspired in me the desire to see the Eiffel Tower someday. I read his book Camera in Paris when it was fisrt published and I still have several of his original books. In 1997 I went to Paris on my way to shoot the 24 Hour of Lemans. While my stay in Paris was limited I was able to get to the twoer and shoot a few images. My photography partner thought I was a nut hugging the tower and carrying on, but for me it was a full circle experience. When I got home I published a shot of the Eiffle Tower on my webpage. A shot looking up under the twoer, and in the caption I wrote To Simon Nathan, Thanks for the Dream. Several years later I got an email from Simon, which totally blew me away. Someone had told him about my tribute and the image. He asked if I had colorized one of his images, but he didn't recognize the image. I explained the background behind the image. We exchanged emails for a while and I was totally surprised about how he had to type with one finger, wasn't doing well physically, but still managed to seek me out and inquire. I can only hope to be that aware and alive when I reach his age.

Today I was wondering about Simon, no reason just one of those things that pass through your mind, sometimes you act on them other times it's just a fleeting thought. Sorry to be so late Simon, thnaks and God Speed

Ray Ninness
Bedford, NH
www.F8Photos.com

Simon, Simon. I should have known you were gone. I received a call today from someone looking for one of your images and thought I might know were to look. The last time we were in touch I knew you were having problems, but you were Simon Nathan and problems were not that big a deal. We met at Mayfield Studios in Dayton, Ohio back in the fifties. Bill Mayfield was a big fan and proud of what he had taught you and you were a Mayfield booster in many of your stories.
I too toured the 79th street red, white, and blue apartment, had chinese and collected a file folder of mailings from all over the world. On one of your last trips to Dayton we visited the old Mayfield Studio site, swapped stories, and had dinner. I asked if you would like to put your camera gear in the car's trunk and heard, "A COWBOY NEVER LEAVES HIS HORSE". Since then, I have never "left my horse". Miss you friend, may you never run out of film wherever you are. Marvin Christian

I met Simon , around 1990 as his presence at Visual Miracles, on 19th street stopped me from whatever I was doing. He came to reproduce some images from 35 mm or 4x5 chromes. I don't exactly remember . He had such enthusiasm and energy and joy of satisfaction that it left an impression. To his daughter Nancy my deepest sympathy. It has been years and today I was going through some old files and found the envelope ,he so graciously gave me to remember him. It was of the first day issue United Nations stamp.He was so proud as well he should be. I wanted to e mail him and tell him I have kept the memory. I just found out he no longer is with us in body but his spirit lives on and he is here to enlighten those who do not have his visions.

In Japan, the death date is more important than the birthday. Yesterday was the fourth anniversary (or fifth, the way buddhist count) of Simon's death.

I thought about him at the temple.

We all still miss you Simon! Unique is one of the most misused words in the language, but it fits Simon M. Nathan to a "T".

While reviewing earlier post, i found I had made a mistake. In June of 2004 I wrote, "I met Simon in late 1975. We were about the same size, a size that is difficult to fit in Japan where I live.
In May 1977 my house burned and I was left with the clothes on my back basically. Simon emptied his closet into a couple of suitcases, hopped a plane and flew into Narita."

Actually Narita opened May 20, 1978, so Simon's visit in 1977 was probably his last flight into Haneda. (Simon visited Japan over 100 times.) I remember driving Simon out to see the as yet unopened Narita. Simon had a great interest in anything about aviation, inclding unopened airports!

Harley

Simon,
Not sure what caused me to Google you this evening after all these years but it does seem a lifetime ago when last we saw each other in Japan - 1984/85. We did get the Public relations peoples’ panties in a bunch that day… Paul, James, you and I. Should have sent copies of the Stars & Stripes more often - I know.
I think of you often when I walk into a Wendy's today... and subconsciously critique each one.

You were missed before you were gone.

Bill