Are your images real?
Yes! I am proud to say that every one of them is a real, unaltered photograph. My images have not been digitally or graphically enhanced in any way! The colors and scenes you see are what I saw when I clicked my camera shutter --- except for one thing: On a computer screen, the larger an image gets, the more quality is lost in it's sharpness. My images have also been posted at a low resolution to intentionally give a less-than-crisp appearance, to discourage Internet theft. My print work is outstanding, and unlike computer screens, the bigger they are as photographs, the sharper, more vivid, and better they look!
What type of photo equipment do you use?
When shooting film, I prefer Minolta camera bodies and lenses. My favorite cameras are my Minolta 700SI's. The most frequently used lenses:
24mm-85mm zoom lens, 80mm-200mm 2.8 zoom, and the 300mm 2.8 lens which is often coupled with a 1.4 teleconverter. When the situation calls for it, I use a 600mm f4 lens to keep a safe distance from wild animals and still capture them in their natural, undisturbed settings. My tripods are made by Bogen, and I carry all my equipment in a Photo Trekker Photopack.
What type of film do you shoot with?
Fuji Velvia for landscapes. Fuji Provia for animal and action photography.
Have any pointers for a novice?
Sure! Because I'm unable to answer all the e-mail I get requesting instruction,
How much time of the year do you spend photographing?
I tend to be busiest Spring through late Fall so I photograph as much as time allows. When also selling your work, time tends to be mostly spent on that.
For information on selling your own art, see my E-Book Store.
Where are your favorite places to photograph?
Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, Montana, Maine/New England and
The Great Smoky Mountains, in that order.
Where have you not yet visited that you want to photograph?
New Mexico and the American South West, and Africa
How long have you been photographing?
I picked up my first camera in 1994. I turned professional in 1996.
Have you had any professional photography training?
I believe you train by doing, and by surrounding yourself with the people who are doing what you want to do. I graduated Rutgers University with a degree in economics and labor relations, with a concentration in law. I did not pick up a camera until a few years after college, when I realized that corporate politics and the associated stress did not agree with me. I spent a total of eight months in Alaska photographing. What an adventure! I truly feel I learned more in those eight months then in five years of college!
As for 'formal' photography training; I took one course to learn the basics.
I believe this is all you need to get started in photography. The rest requires getting out in the field and learning by doing.
I 'self-studied' and learned from books by photographers I admire:
Joe McDonald, Tim Fitzharris, and John Shaw. Outdoor Photographer magazine is also a great resource for learning.
Learning is a never-ending process. I'm always trying to be better. Experimenting is necessary. I'm constantly trying to improve the
quality of my images. I believe there's always a better photograph out there;
I just need to go find it!
What kind of lens and equipment was used to get your incredible 'Mama Bear & Cub' shot?
That image is a real favorite! I used a 600 millimeter lens which is over a
foot in length and very heavy. A tripod is a must and works as a brace for
the camera, which cannot handle the burden of the lens. It's weight is extraordinary!
How close were you to those bears? How did you get them to turn their heads in the same direction and pose for you?
I was about 150 feet from the Mama Bear and Cub when I took that remarkable shot. I didn't 'get' them to turn their heads in the same direction. To be a good photographer, one must have enormous patience. I just watched and waited for the right moment, and when it came, I clicked!
Why did you start specializing in dogs?
I was in Alaska on a photo expedition when my lady and I lost Princess,
our rescued Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Three years later, we lost Rachel,
our second Chesapeake, to a rare bone cancer. By then, I was an established nature, wildlife and outdoor photographer. Just before Rachel's death, I had combined my knowledge of outdoor and nature photography to create stunningly beautiful images of our dog. These were my first dog images.
Click on these links to see
Rachel's death was extremely hard on my lady and me, and looking at these images after her death was truly moving. We started selling photographs of Rachel in her memory to benefit animal charities; such as canine cancer research. The prints were well-received and became so popular that I now donate a portion of my total print-sale profits to various wildlife, animal rescue, and animal welfare funds. You literally make a contribution and even help save an animal's life every time you purchase my work.
We now have two Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Scarlett and her son Ichabod.
I was fortunate enough to catch Ichabod's first experience with snow and created another best-selling print!
Click to see
Why only purebreeds? Why not photograph mixed breeds too?
People prefer to display pictures of purebreeds, so this is what I offer.
I work with responsible, ethical breeders only; ones who are sure to place their puppies in outstanding homes and who are also involved in their breed rescue group. I don't want to encourage mixed breed litters by requesting mixed breed puppies to photograph. There are too many homeless mixed dogs being killed off in shelters as it is!
I will happily take pictures of mixed pups when time allows. This is done by request. Click here for Photo Session info I love mixed-breed dogs and have shared my life with them, but when it comes to this business, people want to see and display purebreeds. However, a portion of all my print sales go to animal shelters and dog rescue groups and this helps the mixed-breeds too!
What foundations and charities do you donation to?
What other subjects do you like to photograph?
When not working on imaginative dog portraits, I spend time in New England photographing Atlantic puffins, moose, loons, and gorgeous mountain lake reflections. I especially enjoy getting lost on back roads and hidden trails; discovering old barns, weathered road signs, pieces of Americana, and more intimate, unique scenics.
Do you have a brochure?
I have over 300 original images in my online collection, and more are added often, so a brochure showing all of my work would be impossible to produce and keep up-to-date. My website is my 24-hour, online art gallery; displaying every print in my collection.
