Although I would like to believe otherwise, I'm not convinced that any of us can ever know or describe the complete essence of anyone else. The challenge of life is to reach out and try to connect even as we realize and accept our own limitations. I'm not an artist in any sense but I try, when photographing, to find a middle way between experiencing the event and recording it.

Many of us are very serious about our photography and understandably so. On the other hand, there is a wonderful aspect of play involved as well. Choosing a subject, selecting the lighting and angle, deciding on a particular lens or filter all involve skill and creativity as does the processing of the photo. But spontaneity and joy and play all have important roles. As the Dutch historian Johan Huizinga stated in his book "Homo Ludens," "Let my playing be my learning, and my learning be my playing."

BTW, at the risk of overstating the obvious, let's agree to respect each other's property and rights. If you would like to use one or more of my photographs, please do me the favor of contacting me first and asking permission. My folks raised me to respect my peers and their belongings and rights. I expect the same from everyone. As H.L. Mencken once put it, "It's a sin to believe evil of others but it is seldom a mistake."

Having said that, let me add a sincere thanks for visiting my collection. I hope it was as good a trip for you as it was for me.