"I went to the funeral of Michael Murray King today. Some called him 'Mike', others 'Murray' but either way, you were addressing as nice and decent a man as you could wish to meet. And he was very talented too. A commercial photographer for 50 years, his wonderful images have brought pleasure to thousands and showcased the beauty of St Ives and Cornwall across the globe. Picking a favourite picture from his vast portfolio is like being asked to name your favourite Beatles track - impossible, but the one here (which my scanner does little justice) called 'Stormy Weather' is special to me as it is the view from my family's home. When the service ended, the large gathering filed out of St Ives Parish Church to the sound of 'Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) and out of nowhere I DID smile, as I recalled the way Mike always greeted me with 'How are you, my boy' whenever we met, and his indomitable sense of humour. At the precise moment of interment at Longstone Cemetery, a plane appeared, piloted by 'Biggles' and trailing a banner which read 'BYE MURRAY'. A few minutes later it again flew over the cemetery and dipped a wing. It was a lovely gesture, entirely appropriate as a way of saying a final farewell to a man who took many of his finest shots from above. His name will live on through his work, but to his many friends and the community of St Ives, the world is just a little less fun for his untimely passing.