Anacleto Rapping, Los Angeles Times photographer and my best friend for 30 years.
Khai Le
Anacleto and I have been best friends over 30 years — mountain biking, skiing, hiking, climbing and raising our children. We worked together over 20 of those years as photographers at the L.A. Times.
On the front door of Anacleto’s locker next to mine to this very day is the following quote by Henry David Thoreau … “The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sing the best.”
Anacleto encouraged ALL of us to use our talents. Photojournalism can be a very competitive, high-stress field, and photographers can be an insecure group yearning for validation. Not Anacleto — he was confident and always prepared.
Anacleto was a remarkable photographer in every way. He had a keen eye with attention to composition and detail. His images spoke volumes. We would talk about how great photographs are made when preparation meets opportunity. He loved the art of photography.