Wind Swept (1986)
I first discovered a fascination with taking pictures when I was a young child. A family member had given me a box camera and I shot two or three rolls of 120 film. The resulting images were a disappointment. The expense of film and developing prevented me from going much further with it at that time; but the seed was planted.
I was a teenager when I truly discovered my passion for taking pictures. Unfortunately, photography was not offered as an elective at my high school, but I’m sure that had it been, I would have enrolled in the program.
I got my hands on a 35mm Pentax and started taking it everywhere I would go. At that time, even though it as difficult to get developed, I preferred shooting with black and white film. In fact, the only time I resorted to using color film was when I couldn’t locate something monochromatic.
Sel Portrait (1985)
A few years later I would put photography aside when I decided to pursue another of my interests, music. I couldn’t afford to invest in equipment for both. As the years passed, I kept many examples of my photographs around, even adorning my walls with a few pictures I had taken back in my youth. Often times people would ask me why I didn’t continue taking pictures, as they looked over one of the framed images.
When I finally put my pursuit of music aside it was nearly as much the echoes of those voices as my former passion that encouraged my return to photography.
For several years I shot only with film, but in 2002, I started shooting digital and in 2003, I purchased my first Digital SLR. Since that time, my 35mm SLR has been seeing less and less use. Within a year of that eventful purchase one of my images saw publication.
Another image I took in 2004 was picked POW (Photo of the Week) on Photo.net. It’s quite a prestigious honor and the image has been viewed well over 1.7 million times. Later that image would see publication in two separate magazines.
Bridge into Silence
I began shooting occasional professional work in 2005. Since then I have taken on more and more work as a photographer and earlier this year I decided I would open a studio and pursue it full time. In April, I found a space at 985 Lincoln Way, Suite 204 in Auburn, California. The studio is now open and you are welcome to drop in anytime Monday through Friday. I take appointments on the weekend as well. The phone number is (530)885-5375.
In my next blog I will discuss elements of life’s experiences and the manners in which people communicate and the impact I feel that both have on my Philosophy of Photography.
