“Art is what you can get away” -Andy Warhol

I'm an old-fashioned "darkroom" guy, who got my start loading reusable film cassettes from 100 foot rolls of raw stock, developing the film, and then making paper prints with a optical enlarger, and developing the prints in trays of chemicals in a home-made darkroom in my parents basement in the 1970's.

Remembers how wonderful Kodak Tri-X film was back then for the home photographer? It was practically the only film I used back then, I could "push-process" it to ASA 800 with good results. The tone and quality of a real photographic print made from Tri-X film on Kodak paper processed by hand in a tray still cannot be matched by any digital photo I've seen.

I've got mixed feelings about digital photography. Back then, the only digital photography was being done on U.S. military spy planes. A print scanner was a $200,000 investment that only high end printing companies could afford. Now anybody with a $500 computer, a $300 digital camera and a $75 ink jet printer can achieve creative results that only the most sophisticated trade shops could afford 20 years ago.

It's a little sad, because photography has become a "point-n-shoot" affair with the camera setting the focus and the F-stop, and even the ASA. It seems all the craft has gone out of photography and the graphic arts, made redundant by digital technology. So many digital photographers and graphic artists don't understand basic photographic principles, or have the simple ability to make a realistic drawing with a pen or pencil. On the other hand, technology has given creative professionals a whole new palette of options. So I guess it all evens out in the long run.

For relaxation I enjoy hikes in the woods with my dog Abby. I'm a political junkie, and somewhat of an political activist of the Populist persuasion. I live in a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland

I have a special interest in American folk art, and enjoy museum hopping every chance I get.

NOTE: My account has been reviewed as SAFE by Flickr staff...if your Flickr album has pornographic or overtly sexual images in it, don't bother to add me as a contact or add one of my pictures to your favorites list. I will block you. Flickr is NOT the forum for that sort of thing.