I became interested in photography when my Uncle Bill (my father's cousin) gave me his old camera before I embarked on a three month cross country trip in 1981. I received a Canon AE-1 as a present in 1984, and was hooked. I loved coming home from a trip, handing in the rolls of film (protected from airport xrays in a lead-lined bag) to the developers, anticipating the prints, and the thrill of reliving the trips through photos. I spent hours organizing them in albums. I traded in my Canon for a Nikon N60, right before digital SLRs were available. Tired of lugging a heavy camera, film, and multiple lens as I traveled, I bought a Canon SX10-IS in 2008, and was happy with the results. It was portable, had a decent zoom, and was a nice first introduction to digital photos. All photos on this site shot before 2013 are from these cameras.

I had some trouble in my life a few years ago, and I turned to photography to allow myself to focus on finding beauty around me. Photography became my salvation. Every time I go out I have my camera with me, looking for an opportunity to take a shot. I decided to join the Ohio Valley Camera Club (OVCC) late in 2012, when I realized I had finally advanced to a point where my little Canon could not capture the photos I wanted to take. I needed advice, instruction, and wanted to meet people with a similar passion for photography. It was a great decision.