One look at this mug and it's obvious why I prefer
to remain behind the lens rather than in front of it!!!

I am a photographer who has been taking photos for too many years to count. I obtained my first camera when I was in grade school. I "purchased" it through a catalog by collecting hundreds of plastic inserts from Pepsi bottle caps (sort of like collecting stamps). By any measure it was a pretty poor excuse for a camera, but I was hooked. My first real camera, a gift from my parents, was a Kodak Instamatic with a flash system based on disposable cubes that snapped into the top of the camera and 126 sized film that came in a cartridge. For me it was a huge step up.

My first 35mm camera was used Zeiss Ikon. I purchased it from another starving college student. I'm sure that when it was new it was a wonderful camera. By the time I acquired it, it had seen better days and, to put it kindly, the results were mixed. Finishing my undergraduate and master's program in Indiana, my wife (Carol) and I moved to the state of Washington where I purchased my first really advanced camera, an Olympus OM-1 -- a great film camera and still a sentimental favorite. In recent years my involvement has accelerated considerably, first with the move to the Nikon system (film -- Nikon N70 and N80) and now to Nikon digital.

The early photos on this site were taken with a Nikon D70s, after which I upgraded to the D80, then to the D90, and finally to the D7000 -- and a few of the photos are remnants of my old film days with a Nikon N80 (and before that an N70). While I have several lenses, most stay in the bag now that I have the remarkable Nikon 18-200 with the second generation vibration reduction system. When not using the 18-200 I like the Nikon 85mm f1.8, particularly for portraits. It is so sharp it is amazing. I have a few other lenses but most only are used in special situations. The D7000 has been a great upgrade because of its low light capabilities, something I often need when shooting music performances. When possible I try to avoid using on-camera flash (or flash on a bracket), but sometimes it can't be helped and I am getting better at using the flash in creative ways.

I also take photos for the Blues Blowtorch Society, the Heartland Jazz Orchestra, and the the annual Nothin' But the Blues Festival. I also will occasionally take photos for our wonderful local public radio station WGLT (News, Blues and All That Jazz!).