Friends,

Although my career(s) have been in hospital marketing/PR and public health, my passion has always been photography. Nature and wildlife photography has always been my first love, although I've shot weddings, senior & family portraits, pets and some architectural photography to pay for my equipment and trips. Digital has made things all the more expensive and complicated.

My passion for the outdoors led me to Alaska years ago, where I lived for nearly a decade. Incredible places to see and take in, but it really takes years to absorb how different the Alaskan wilderness is from the "lower 48."

I'm also a passionate dog lover, having had numerous shelties over the years. Dante was my companion till about a year ago, and before that Jake was my companion in Alaska, Oregon and then Nebraska. He was a blue merle sheltie, and was special to me and unforgettable. I'm looking forward to getting another sheltie soon.

I believe that as a person grows as a nature/wildlife photographer, their feelings evolve from capturing nature's beauty through imagery to a cause equally signficant and of potentially greater consequence. Most of the ultra-serious photographers I've known ultimately become conservationists/preservationists, recognizing what is happening to our planet at a continually faster pace. Most of us, by nature, are not interested in politics or desire to carry picket signs, yet we ultimately feel an obligation to do what we can to preserve those things of beauty and wonder that give our lives meaning. The stronger you feel, the more you realize that there are significant ways to make a difference.

Time to step down from the soapbox. That really wasn't my intent. If anyone wants to share their views and ponder how to better the world, I'd be glad to participate.

Meanwhile, I'll probably continue participating in Flickr. Time is always short it seems, but it's nice to hear comments and get feedback about images that are meaningful to me. In the short time I've been a Flickr member, I've also enjoyed seeing others' images about everything under the sun. There are many great photographers out there who are not pros and will never make $ in photography, yet their images profoundly capture the beauty and wonder of life. Sometimes pictures are books in themselves.