About

Some of my earliest memories are of the chemical smells of my father’s darkroom, of photofloods lighting holidays, and of delays while exposure was decided. My first camera was a Kodak Duaflex II with a focusable Kodar lens. I took plenty of 120 film to the drugstore for processing. Eventually I graduated to 35mm and changeable lenses. Most of my photographs were in the category of snapshots.

About twenty years ago I got serious about photography, seeing it as a form of expression and an extension of my perception. I read and experimented. Photography was the ideal blend of science and art.

I took classes and found out how magical darkroom work was. Fortunately I found incredible teachers like Preston Jones, John Sexton, Anne Larsen, and Armin Mersmann. Also, my daughter-in-law took me to an exhibit of 4x5 contact prints by Shomei Tomatsu. By the second print I knew I needed a view camera and darkroom.

Ten years ago a hereditary corneal condition began to progressively limit my vision, and my practice. Successful corneal transplants in both eyes, performed by Dr. Mian at the University of Michigan Kellog Eye Center, restored my vision. Unbelievably, the wife of a deceased photographer donated my transplants.

Photography has opened me up. It has made me think and perceive differently. I have explored other art forms and learned to draw. Critique and the feedback it provides have promoted growth. Photography is continuously evolving and requires continuous learning. What could be better?