Background

I have had a camera in my hand since I was 5 years old. I can remember the first photo I was allowed to take. It was with a Polaroid and was of my family during Christmas. It turned out quite blurry, but I was immediately intrigued. When I was about six, my dad gave me his old Kodak Brownie, a camera he had when he was young. He provided me with a limited amount of film, so I learned quickly to take my time and compose a shot I was happy with instead of burning through rolls of film.

I have always been attracted to the landscape and to nature shots. As a matter of fact, my mother would reprimand me when she would look through my newly developed film only to see rocks, trees, and wildlife...but no humans. She would say," You need to take pictures of people and your family; the 'important things'." I would simply think, why? I have since learned the importance of these "important things" she encouraged me to take, as I have found, memories begin to fade. But I am still passionately attracted to the wilderness scene.

I have spent much of my life playing and working in the wild. I have been a whitewater river guide for some time, most of which has been on the Kern River in California. I have also spent a fair amount of time backpacking, kayaking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. I consider the West my home, although I have lived on the other side of the country and love its beauty as well.

I am a student and also a teacher of the sciences. I enjoy learning more about my surroundings and being able to share this knowledge with others. I also believe it is indispensable as a photographer. The more you know about your subject, the better your success.