Mark Potter’s wife sent him out to photograph sunrises. She was certain she was saving his life.
Meanwhile, he was trying to save hers. Judith was fighting ovarian cancer. For three years, Mark was her primary caregiver.
At the time, he was retired from more than 40 years as a hard news journalist. He covered some of the stories that made Miami what it is today. Drug wars, hurricanes, immigration.
Retirement was supposed to be their time together, his and Judith’s. A time to relax and travel. Cancer had other plans.
In those dark stretches, there was sunlight. Judith convinced her husband to take time for himself. His answer was to photograph the morning sun.
He brought the photos back to her, and they would brighten her mood. His photography became a sort of therapy for both of them.
After Judith died, Mark published the photos. His new book is titled, Sunrise: A photographic journey of comfort and healing. You can find the book at Books and Books.
It features some of Mark’s more stunning sunrise photography — taken at some of the most difficult moments of his life.
It’s more than a photography book. It’s part memoir, part biography, and all love story.
On the Jan. 31 episode of Sundial, we speak with Mark Potter about his photography book and his journalism career.
On Sundial's previous episode, we spoke with "The Chang Gang," and talked about their restaurant, Itamae, in Miami's Design District. Fernando, Nando and Val Chang have been nominated as co-chefs for a James Beard Award, which are like the Oscars of the food world.
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