THE PHOTOGRAPHER
My grandfather died in 1975, and a couple of years later my grandmother gave me his Mamiya rangefinder camera. I seemed to have an eye for photography. I taught myself how lighting works and the relationships between aperture, shutter speed and film sensitivity. I also took an interest in developing my own photos, and my dad built me a darkroom in our basement. I learned not only how to create an image in the camera, but also take it the next step to manipulate the print the way I wanted it. While in the photo shop one day, I picked up a small booklet produced by Sports Illustrated, with the great SI photographers explaining how to shoot various sports. It became my bible and catalyst for my own career in photography. I never made it to the Sports Illustrated level, but put together a decent career in journalism (See more HERE). Photography is still my love, and sports photography tops the list. But after years in the photojournalism business, I’m trying to push myself into new areas, including studio work. It’s an adjustment from the immediacy of being a news photographer to the more meticulous work of making a photo into art. Over the last 15 years, I've traveled more, and I've started shooting more and more from daily life. These are some samples of my work over the years.