Successful photographers who are at the top of their game do get it. There is nothing to prove to anyone other than themselves, and even there the measure of achievement goes far beyond how many books or public showings or prints sold. It has nothing to do with obtaining the latest and best photo gear or a web site with the highest traffic or a blog that ranks on the first page of Google searches. They could care less of what people think regarding what kind of car they drive or if they've gained acceptance in a private club or upper echelon social circle.
Their success is self-measured through the realization of their God-given talents and the pure gold that results when those talents are realized and used to teach, inspire and move others to follow their own dreams and discovery of unique artistic visions.
I'm a Canon shooter and a Mac user. I make use of professional-grade Canon EOS 35mm digital camera bodies (50D and Mark III) combined with Canon L-grade lenses, Alien Bee studio strobe lighting system, Pocket Wizard radio remotes, umbrellas, light boxes, full muslin and paper backgrounds. My digital darkroom consists of a Mac Pro Quad Xeon 64-bit workstation and Dell Precision 360 PC, both with multiple hard drive back-up systems and networked via Apple AirPort Extreme wireless, Apple 23-inch cinema LCD display, Samsung large format monitor and a 17″ MacBook Pro laptop using Adobe Bridge, Lightroom and Photoshop CS3 as well as Apple Aperture software. Also used are Epson printers including 1280 and 7600 with a variety of Epson and Moab papers. All client images are backed-up on disk via a portable DVD burner.
I grew-up in Kettering, Ohio and I am a graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Management. Later I earned a Master of Professional Communication from Westminster College of Salt Lake City. I am an active member of Professional Photographers of America, Professional Photographers of Ohio, American Society of Media Photographers, North American Nature Photography Association and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.
In my previous life, occurring after first discovery photography in junior high school and before taking the plunge professionally at age 38, included stints as:
- a summer trooper with the Culver Black Horse Troop (think John Wayne in "The Horse Soldiers," singing She Wore a Yellow Ribbon while riding through the Indiana countryside - with boots, breeches, campaign hats and a sore rear)
- service as a Reservist and United States Marine with the Dayton MP's
- route delivery driver, Communications Manager and then corporate HR Manager for the family rental uniform business
- Assistant Mall Manager in Charleston, S.C.
- Marketing Manager for the University of Utah Credit Union in Salt Lake City
- Account Manager for a Utah provider of Employee Assistance Programs
- Marketing Communications Manager for a Japanese manufacturer of elevators and escalators in Lebanon, Ohio
- adjunct instructor in speech communications and journalism at Sinclair Community College in Dayton and Thomas More College near Cincinnati, Ohio
There are one or two other brief forays that aren't even worth mentioning. Although I will say this, those experiences where I ventured completely out on my own and unencumbered by certain power circles of influence were positive and a boost to my self confidence.
The most important lesson I learned is that each person is fully capable of reaching his or her our goals - be it competing for and winning a particular job, earning a degree, being the best parent possible or even surviving boot camp. The best in us can only be achieved when we let go of our fears, trust in our hearts and cast-off the strings of control and ignore the weak-minded criticisms maintained by those who refuse to confront and overcome their own fears.
And after that long, strange journey I have finally returned to my true passion - that of photography and the life of a visual artist.
I try each day to encourage and teach - and not control or manipulate - my daughters Emma and Chloe, as they embark on their own journeys of self-discovery. I also strive to let go of my regrets, and remove myself from the constant reminders, while holding on to a quiet hope of love and support for my son Philip.
Always follow what is in your heart and look for the good light.
Awards
Three Awards of Achievement, Illustrative Category, 2009 Professional Photographers of Ohio Print Competition
Three Honorable Mentions, Illustrative Category, 2009 Professional Photographers of Ohio Print Competition
Silver Addy, 2008 Dayton Advertising Association Hermes Awards, Elements of Advertising/Photography
1st Place, Midwest Division, 2008 National Historic Landmark Photo Competition, National Park Service
1st Place: Best Color Nature Photo, Outdoor Writers of Ohio, 2008 Spring Conference
Award of Excellence as a Finalist in Photographer's Forum Magazine 27th Annual Spring Photography Contest
1st Place, New Life – Professional Division, 2006 National Wildlife Photography Awards Competition, National Wildlife Magazine
Bronze Addy, 2007 Dayton Advertising Association Hermes Awards, Elements of Advertising/Photography
Bronze Addy, 2007 Dayton Advertising Association Hermes Awards, Collateral Material/Brochure
1st Place: Best Black and White Nature Photo, Outdoor Writers of Ohio, 2006 Spring Conference
Bronze Addy, 2005 Dayton Advertising Club Hermes Awards, Elements of Advertising/Photography
Bronze Addy, 2005 Dayton Advertising Club Hermes Awards, Arts/Self-Promotion
Award of Merit, The View 2004 – All-Ohio Juried Landscape Competition, Rosewood Gallery of Kettering, Ohio
Award of Merit, The View 2003, Rosewood Gallery, Kettering, Ohio
Commercial and Editorial Clients
Rittal Corporation
Gray and Company Publishers
R P Marketing Public Relations
Miles Media
Modem Media
Beazer Homes
VITAS Innovative Hospice Care
Housetrends Magazine/Reach Publishing
Ten United
The Inn at Cedar Falls
Dental Economics Magazine
Miami Valley Human Resource Association
Battelle and Battelle, LLP
Idea Television
Downtown Dayton Partnership
King Strategic Communications
City of Lebanon, Ohio
The Marketing Formula
Aerospace International Materials, Inc.
General Dynamics
Cherbo Publishing Group
Great Lakes Publishing/Ohio Magazine
Hixson Architectural Engineering Interiors
University of Dayton
Club Systems International
Daniel De Vol Custom Builder, Inc.
Veolia Water
City of Dayton
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Miami Conservancy District, Dayton
Installations of Fine Art Nature and Landscape Prints
Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
St. Rita's Hospital, Lima, Ohio
Zangmeister Center, Columbus, Ohio
Portsmouth Family Care Center, Portsmouth, Ohio
Grayson Family Center, Grayson, Kentucky
Public Presentations
NYC Chapter of the Sierra Club, Manhattan, NY
The Dayton Rotary Club
2006 Shoot the Hills Weekend, Hocking Hills, Ohio
Tripod Camera Club, Dayton, Ohio
Focus Photo Club, Dayton, Ohio
The Orvis Store, Dayton, Ohio
Publication
Cover Photo - May 2009 Issue - Ohio Magazine
2009 Calendar, National Park Service - National Historic Landmarks
The Digital Canvas, Layers Magazine, January/February 2009
Feature Article, “The Time Keepers Design,” Housetrends Magazine, November/December 2008
Cover and feature article - Housetrends Magazine, April/May 2008 Issue
Blast Magazine - "Every Picture Tells a Story" by Elizabeth Raftery, January 2007
Cover - Trail Guide Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 3rd Edition, 2007
Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council, Gray and Co. Publishers
Redrock Almanac: Canyon Country Vignettes, by Michael Engelhard,
published by Johnson Books
Feature Story – Beautiful Ohio, June 2007 Ohio Magazine
December 2006/January 2007 National Wildlife Magazine
Cover – Fall 2006 Issue of Ohio State Parks
Cover and Feature Article, Living Arts Magazine, Jul-Sept 2006
Cover – Spring 2006 Issue of Ohio State Parks
Dayton: On the Wings of Progress, Cherbo Publishing Group, Inc.,
January 2006
Cover – Natural Living/Healthy Living – Fall, 2005
Full-page, Cleveland Magazine, September 2005
Ohio Archaeology, Orange Frazer Press 2005
Cover – Downtowner Holiday 2004
Cover – Metro ParkWays December Issue 2004
Cover – Natural Living/Healthy Living – August, 2004
The Vincent Brothers Review, Issue #23 “Taking Flight”
Cover – Spring 2004 Issue of Ohio State Parks
2004 Brochure of the Miami Conservancy District
Member
Professional Photographers of America
Professional Photographers of Ohio
North American Nature Photography Association
Outdoor Writers of Ohio
National Association of Photoshop Professionals
View my gallery on the National Association of Photoshop Users Site
Sharing Links
I welcome the opportunity to exchange links with other photographers and photography-based web sites.