Some Stuff About Me

A few comments about me as a photographer …

My photographic interests are wide ranging but I particularly like nature, landscape, travel and urban subjects. I don’t like to specialize because I feel it limits my ability to explore. If anything, my “specialization” is trying to create an image with visual impact and story-telling.

I started with black & white using an Olympus Auto Eye rangefinder camera that I bought as a 16 year old (which I still have). I went into black & white and color film development and printing, too. After going through a Nikkormat and a Nikon F, I transitioned into digital with a less than one megapixel camera. When the Canon Digital Rebel became an affordable option, I bought that and eventually converted into infrared. I “graduated” to better Canon DSLR with all the lenses (small and heavy, short and long, black and white – Canon folk know what I am talking about). However, I have mostly ditched that gear to join the micro 4/3 crowd and use the Olympus OMD EM5 Mark II.

I still have a real love of good black and white images. I try to see in my mind what a color image might look like as a black and white photo. It doesn’t always work but I am getting better at it.

My photographic passion is learning how to use light and composition in my images to convey to the viewer how I felt when I clicked the shutter button. I try to pre-visualize my images: if I can, I plan out what I need to do in order to make the best use of my time and the place I will be. I generally do more looking and thinking than actually “taking” pictures. But I also love finding myself in a place with picture-making opportunities and discovering the serendipity of the moment.

Lately, I have been involved with digital painting: using my original images and Corel Painter (plus other software) to create digital paintings. I also use acrylic gel medium to add brush strokes to the giclée prints.

Take a look at the accompanying photo called, How Much is that Chicken in the Window. Although it won me first place in the photographic contest sponsored by the Corel Corporation and the Florida Association of Computer Users Groups, it also illustrates my “photographic technique”. Here at the home of the owner of Tropical World, I saw a bunch of chickens running wild and separately near the lovely old shack with its broken window.

So, while other photographers in our group clicked away (seemingly at random), I set up camp in front of the shack and waited for a single chicken to poke her head through the broken window. I pre-visuallized the shot and with some luck, got just what I wanted. I did not get many other good images that day, but this is the one I was happy with. Maybe it’s not the only way to do things, but it is my way.

Here is my minimal CV, if you are interested in that sort of thing ...

I teach photography seminars at camera clubs, and I lead a photography interest group in my community. I have taught courses at the Palm Beach Photographic Centre (Adobe Lightroom, Corel Painter, Intro to Digital Photography). I also volunteer as a photography field trip coordinator/assistant as part of the annual FotoFusion sponsored by the Palm Beach Photographic Center.

I have had the opportunity to work with the world famous Vincent Versace on a nude photoshoot (not me, the models) and the noted landscape photographer, Steven Nestler, National Geographic photographer Ray Gehman, the “upscale paparazzi” photographer, Carlo Alegri, and others. (I can’t post the nudes on the site due to restrictions on their use – too bad since they are wonderful).

I am retired from my primary career as a manager in the Office of Occupational and Continuing Education of the New York State Education Department. After my retirement, I became a member of the faculty of the Computer and Information Sciences Department at  Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY where I taught web design, information design, electronic publishing, information systems and a variety of computer applications courses, including Excel and Photoshop plus a course called “Information Design and Content Management”. And I did it all via the web. Distance Learning is great for both the student and the professor!

I owned a web design and hosting business for over 10 years (retired from that one, too) with local, state and international clients. For a time, I worked as a free-lance commercial photographer (had the previlege of photographing former NYS Governer Mario Cuomo, former NYS Senator Jacob Javitz, the famed folk singer and actor Theordore Bikel, the noted opera singer of the mid-20th century Jan Pierce, and other famous and not-so-famous people).

Earlier in my career, I taught biology at the senior college level (I have a Ph.D. in biology from CUNY). I also was a research fellow at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. I became an expert in the use of electron microscopy for research. These experiences (and my very early formative years spent in NYCs Museum of Natural History) no doubt influenced my current interest in photographing nature subjects. I am also the author of three college-level textbooks in anatomy and physiology, medical laboratory technology and microbiology.

I have studied advanced fine art photography with Jack Wild at Old School Square, Delray Beach, FL.

I am a member of several photography clubs and I lead the Photography Special Interest Group in my Florida community where I teach a monthly course.

And, I also try my skills (such as they are) at golf, some glass fusion projects, pinocle games with the guys, and of course, lots of social stuff with friends.