Photographer Tim Koors remembered; we share highlights of his work for 'PBJ'

Dec 5, 2014, 2:39pm MST

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Ilana Lowery / Phoenix Business Journal

Photographer Tim Koors, left, and the Phoenix Business Journal photo editor Jim Poulin.

Photo Editor- Phoenix Business Journal
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I considered Tim Koors a friend as well as a mentor.

The photography veteran, who worked for the Arizona Republic for several years as well serving as a freelancer for us at the Phoenix Business Journal, passed away unexpectedly this week. The news came as a blow.

I first met Tim as a young photojournalist-in-training.

As a student at Arizona State University working for the student newspaper, the State Press, I always thought I'd end up interning at the East Valley Tribune, which was the typical landing spot for State Pressers.

But instead, I was encouraged to write a letter to Mr. Koors over at the Republic. It must have read well because I ended up landing the internship. He even gave me one of the best lessons in photography I've ever received.

I returned from an assignment and had the audacity to ask him if he could give me some feedback on my negatives and if there was anything I could have done better. With looming deadlines and any number of other pressures and demands, he agreed, and took a quick glance. Seemingly too quick, in fact.

"I don't know," he said, pushing his chair back. "I wasn't there."

I was stunned and a little ticked. But later I came to understand: he was right. He wasn't there. How could he know what might have been done differently? As photographers, we deal with any number of environmental factors when on assignments. It's up to us to find the shot given the constraints and factors at play in any situation.

Years later, when he left the Republic, we met for lunch to discuss possible freelance opportunities with the Business Journal. Tim was thrilled at the opportunity – and I was thrilled, too, that years after my internship, he considered me an equal.

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