People say I have an eye for photography. I think they're right. But having an eye doesn't guarantee everything you shoot is Frame-worthy. Occasionally what you thought was the perfect picture turns out slightly out of focus or overexposed or just not what you had hoped for. But that's why we photographers keep shooting... because we want to show and share the beauty or excitement or drama of what we see with our own eyes and hope that others will see it too and appreciate it.

I've dabbled and had an interest in 'taking pictures' most of my life. I think I had my first camera at about age 11 or 12. For a while I worked at a major newspaper as a copy boy and got to know the reporters and photos editors fairly well. One of the photo editors sold me my first "serious" camera; a 35mm film camera that he had repaired. However, in those days, taking photos 'willy-nilly' was an expensive proposition due to the cost of film and developing and as a young adult I did not have the cash resources to take my interest further. Later, I became interested in making videos. With the advent of the affordable VHS format and video cameras becoming an affordable luxury, I experimented with that off and on and still do today. It wasn't until I was shopping for a graduation gift for my eldest son that I bought a Digital SLR. I tried it out (with his permission) and really liked the results and absence of film costs. That made me want one too. However, all I could afford for myself at the time was a $99 Nikon Coolpix 2.2 MP point and shoot. Some of the best photos on my Flickr page were actually shot with that camera. It wasn't until I took a couple of cross-country road trips in 2006 and 2008 that I realized the beauty of America deserved better than what I had to capture it with. In 2008, while I was in better times financially, I saw an opportunity to purchase a higher-quality Nikon D5000 DSLR bundle through Costco and took the leap. I tried it out, shot a few things with it, then promptly put it away because I was just 'too busy'. Then in 2011, after being laid off, I had time on my hands and I got the D5000 out of the closet and started shooting again. I decided to try my hand at sports and decided to attend the local high school's football game. Out of curiosity, I contacted the local weekly paper and asked who I should submit photos to should I capture anything worthwhile. The sports editor eagerly invited me to meet him at the venue and he escorted me onto the field. I shot well over 600 photos that night and painfully discovered that only about 25-30 were not blurred and perhaps useable. Well, they liked what I sent them, published them and soon after, offered to pay me for my photos under a freelance agreement. I accepted and have been doing that since then although it isn't nearly enough to live on. Along the way since 2011 I've invested more time and effort learning about photography and post processing and have gotten better but still have lots of room for improvement. I learned just how important a 'fast' lens is and the value of a full frame camera. Several thousand dollars later and once again unemployed, I am making a run at making photography my new-found career. It's challenging as there's so much more to earning a living as a photographer than just 'taking pictures'. So now, armed with a D600 and at least three 'fast' lenses (24-70, 70-200, and 50mm) I push onward and upward. If you like what you see, let me know. Encouragement is free and very much appreciated. Thank You.