Crystal was an outstanding photographer, who started with a crappy camera that we borrowed from a friend back in the summer of '97. She had used point and shoot cameras up to that point, but, never a 35 mm SLR. Over the years, we upgraded cameras as we could find good, used bodies, sticking with Minolta models. In the end, we had a X-370, X-570, and finally, an X-700.

Crys worked hard on her art, and often, it was the only thing that brought her joy. I built her darkrooms in every apartment we had, and even had a full-on Bogen Color Head enlarger that I found on eBay.

Now, I've been working with SLR's since the early '80's, and felt that I was pretty good. Within the first three rolls, Crys surpassed my abilities. I was better at the technical aspects, but, she had an artistic eye. She was also a painter (water color, oils, pastels), sewed, needlepoint, beader, and html whiz (something else that I started her on that she became MUCH better than I'll ever be). That artistic eye and her desire to keep pushing herself made her work what it was -- power, simple, beautiful.

Crystal died in July of 2002 at the age of 27. We were married just short of seven years, and I miss her. But, I still pieces of her around me, and I know that she's yelling at me to check my f-stop.

What you'll find her is examples of her work from the five years that she pushed that shutter, as well as a few of my pictures that I took at her direction. Please, enjoy her work and let me know if you have any questions. I'll do my best to answer what I can.

Peace.

D. Bjorn