While growing up, I was fortunate to observe my father, who was an Industrial Designer, as he worked on his Masters of Fine Arts degree and was intrigued by his many sculpting and painting projects.  He took countless 35mm slides and used a 16mm film camera to document family activities.  He also had a subscription to National Geographic Magazine, which I read enthusiastically every month, developing a keen interest in travel and foreign cultures.

While I admired the arts, science and math were what interested me most at that time so I pursued an engineering career. First in college, then as a Combat Engineer Officer in the Army, and finally as a Science and Technology Manager for the Army and Department of Defense.  But even so, I also continued my artistic interests, taking a dozen art classes in college and buying my first 35mm camera when posted to Germany as a Lieutenant.  My camera went everywhere I traveled, and I traveled a lot, visiting nearly every country in Europe.

During that first military tour was when I began entering photo contests to help myself learn the field and push myself to improve my skill.  Since this was the pre-digital age, countless hours were spent in darkrooms developing photographic film and printing in both black & white and in color.  I took lots of slide pictures and learned to produce prints from those as well – these were my favorites. I traveled the world, visiting 43 countries, always carrying at least one camera.  Even during my combat tour, receiving a Bronze Star in Desert Storm, I was taking photos.

Eventually transitioning out of active duty and began working at an Army Research, Development and Engineering Center. I was still entering photography contests, in fact more of them.  Before retiring as a Department of the Army Civilian, I earned over 70 photographic awards, including over two dozen first places in the Army’s worldwide photo contests.  My work has been published in several magazines, including Popular Photography, Shutterbug, and Camera & Darkroom.  Over the years I gradually moved from film to digital photography as the image quality improved, along with the creative tools.  Now I enjoy looking for images that can be used as the basis for imaginative and vibrant transformations.  I hope you enjoy my creations.