A picture is worth a thousand words, so the adage goes. But a thousand simply won't do when you think of the image Sarah Becking left us.
It's of a woman, confident and strong; a mother, nurturing and compassionate; a wife, giving of her heart and soul; and a friend, there to share a smile or a tear.
Becking, a photographer who fashioned a niche for herself shooting University of Missouri sports, lost her two-year battle with cancer when she died Monday at age 36.
Her name might not sound familiar to many Herald-Whig subscribers. Her photos appeared in the sports section only a handful of times, providing an occassional feature shot of a Mizzou athlete or an action photo from an event in Columbia, Mo.
Tigers fans, however, should be well acquainted with her work.
For the last decade, Becking has been a mainstay at Faurot Field and inside the Hearnes Center and Mizzou Arena. Her photos have chronicled the rise of the MU football program and been featured in media guides and magazines nationwide.
Through her eyes and her lens, we experienced the magic.
She had a knack for delivering that.
Sifting through stacks of old newspaper articles late Wednesday night, I came across a drawer filled with copies of Inside Mizzou Sports magazine from the 1998-99 school year. I found myself slowly filtering through each issue.
Plastered throughout were Sarah's photos. Crisp, clear, lively and entertaining.
I spent one year as editor of the magazine, and the series of photos spanning football and basketball season illustrate why I consider Sarah one of the finest photographers I will ever work with.
But I must admit I'm biased.
Sarah and I met while attending the University of Missouri School of Journalism. Although a photojournalism student, she was required to take a reporting class. She chose to cover sports, and our friendship was cemented.
Before we graduated, we had traveled here and there -- a trip to Norman, Okla., at night in a driving rainstorm just to see Mizzou lose 30-13 is the most memorable -- across the Midwest covering the Tigers.
I hadn't forgotten any of that when I was asked to take over Inside Mizzou Sports in 1998. Sarah had recently returned to Columbia after a short stint living in San Antonio, Texas, with her soon-to-be husband, Jason, and was working at a local photo studio.
She was the first staff photographer I hired.
And simply the best.
Not only did her pictures pop off the pages, but each week, we'd put them on display at CJ's, a popular stop in downtown Columbia. She bartended there on Wednesdays, and it's where I would unveil each new issue.
She beamed with pride every time.
In her all-too-brief career, she catalogued thousands of photos, anything from Mizzou football to children's portraits to landscapes. Each one unique, each one worth another look.
You can see a sampling of those photos at her Web site at becking.zenfolio.com.
As you pore through them, look beyond the image. Look at the care and effort given to frame each photo in a personal way, and you'll see the heart of a woman who blessed us with her presence.
And you'll find a thousand words will never be enough to fully express how you feel.
There's just no easy way to say good-bye.
-- mschuckman@whig.com/221-3366
