The earliest date that I can recall from when I first joined Flickr.com was in June of 2006, but perhaps earlier. As life would have it, I left Flickr a couple of times and came back. I remember I started several groups, one of which was “M6 & MP Leica.” I don’t remember the other ones except this particular group, because it still has the original group logo. I handed the admin position to another member before leaving. It was in 1982 when I bought my first real camera, a Minolta XG-M. The year 1983 was when I attended a Photography 101 class. Apart from that one class, I was self-taught from books by Ansel Adams. I was already shooting streets at this time, and selling my work at a swap meet in Torrance. Professionally, that was all I was interested in doing, because I never liked being told what & how to photograph. Nothing has changed in that regard. From 1969 to 1976, I grew up in Long Beach and Carson, California. I attended high school and colleges in Orange County, California. I have always kept politics out of this, but these times have made it impossible. We can no longer remain observers, but participants. I do what I am able to do as a citizen of the world and what remains of American democracy. I lean far left. It was a mistake that I espoused conservatism in the past, but it was a valuable lesson.

"Professional" only means you make money off of it. It has nothing to do with excellence. Art without the motivating factor of money is the purest art.