All about me!

Sometime around 2002, I was casting around for some sort of creative outlet. I worked as a computer programmer full-time and kicking around logical conditions all day left me wanting some random, artistic outlet type of distraction.

I'm also a huge tech geek. I love learning about new gear, playing with the latest goodies and understanding how things work at an intimate level.

So the natural conclusion was to dive into photography. And as fortune would have it, Canon introduced a new affordable digital SLR camera, the Canon EOS 10D. A week later, I had it in my hands and timidly went out to explore the world of photography.

The Years of Suck

I often have people come up to me and say 'I wish I could take pictures as well as you could!', or 'I just bought a camera and my pictures don't come out as well as yours!'

I'll tell you this. I have thousands and thousands of pictures in my archives that I'm geninuely embarassed to show anyone. I have more bad pictures than good ones. I take lots of crap pictures. And I get a few good ones. And over the years the ratio of good-to-crap has improved in my favor. It might have to do with getting some experience behind the camera of what works and what doesn't.

So to all of you fledging photographers. Don't give up. Just keep shooting. Your pictures will get better. You'll figure out your niche and start exploring all sorts of approaches and you'll get good pictures along the way. More than me, I hope.

The Years of Less Suck

So now I've gained enough skill and mastery to start taking good pictures. I have pictures I want to share with all of you. So, welcome to my website. Browse around, enjoy the pictures. Get in touch with me.

What do I shoot with?

One of the most common questions I get when people see my photos are, 'what kind of camera do you use?' In the expectation that if they were to use the same camera, they could achieve the same results. That it is the machine, not the person. The argument that equipment does not make the photographer has been advanced many times, and there is some truth to that statement. Giving someone the reins of the latest $5000 camera will not automatically make them a better photographer.

But giving the latest $5000 camera to an talented, skilled photographer can make them a better photographer. A camera is a tool that a photographer uses to express his/her artistic vision. A better tool can allow the photographer to more fully realize their vision.

The bulk of my work is done with a digital SLR and various lens. I have played around with medium-format film photography with some cool results that I would like to come back to again some day.

I have a quite simple approach to photography. I minimize the amount of gear I'm using. I have a fair bit of gear for all types of situations, but I look to be as simple as possible. I find that my poor little mind is easily distracted with too many options. Often unnecessary.

When I am out there in the field with just the 5D and my favorite lens, the 35mm 1.4L, I am happiest. Leave everything else at home!