From an early age growing up in Florida, I have had an appreciation for nature and it's many creatures. I got my first 35mm camera when I joined the Navy, but only dabbled with its use. After my service, I had the privilege to work for the Eastern Test Range Optical tracking system group for almost 20 years. I supported many Shuttle launches from Kennedy as a part of the optics group, which was an exciting time. Eventually, my experiences working with optical systems and my love for nature came together. I quickly became fascinated with photographing birds and the challenge of capturing them in flight. Tracking Rockets is easier if anyone cares to know. One of my favorite things about photography is there are so many subcategories. Wildlife is still my favorite, but I also enjoy photographing people, landscapes, pets and various other subjects. People ask me all the time if I'm a professional photographer and I always tell them, "no". I describe myself as a serious amateur. The other hobbies that can sometimes distract me from photography are; Training and competing my Australian Shepherd in agility, golfing and the occasional fishing trip. I have also found that photographing agility competitions is also fun, so my camera is always close.