Chances are, you didn't know Lou DeSantis, but I'm sure you knew his work.
Lou retired last week, after 36 years as a photographer at WBRE. Lou was on the Scranton beat for many of those years, a great guy for the job. He knew inch of the city, and I think he knew every Lackwanna County resident, including every police officer, firefighter, and public official.
Let me tell you a "Lou" thing. He possesses a great curiosity and loves to ask questions. He'll speak up during news conferences and during one-on-ones with reporters. Here's an "inside TV" thing. A photographer asking questions used to bother a lot of reporters. They thought Lou was infringing on their territory, possibly showing them up.
Me? I loved it! I can't think of everything, and Lou's valuable experience helped put stories in context. I appreciated it, way back when, and I encourage young photographers to ask away. On top of that, it shows the photographer is "in" to the story and that always makes for a better piece. Lou never needed motivation. It was always there.
I spoke with Lou on the phone last week. He sounded great, in spite of a recent health scare.
Lou, enjoy your retirement, and thank you for everything.