My introductory to photography came in middle school when I had to choose between taking home economics or media arts.  So naturally I chose media arts and I was hooked.  I found it more enjoyable to spend the school day outside taking pictures of my friends than sitting inside a stuffy classroom.  

 

In high school I blew my first paycheck on a film camera, a Pentax P3.  Several years later my Dad was encouraging me to go digital.  I refused, as my film camera worked just fine.  So he bought me one.  Again, I was hooked and used that camera up until a fateful water balloon fight with my brother ruined my little Sony digital.  I then took the plunge and upgraded to a more serious digital camera and eventually a dSLR.

 

Over the years I've mostly taken pictures of family and friends and when traveling.  However, shortly before joining NVPS in 2010, I started to become more serious about photography and expanding my subject matter.   Tonight I'll be showing pictures from a trip to NC that I took with some other camera club members.  This was part of a workshop with Mary and Mollie that I won at last years end of the year banquet.  It was my first, and so far only, time going birding.  It was a new experience for me but one that was a lot of fun.  

My photographic journey began when I took a photography course in college.  That was a long time ago where I learned a few fundamentals of exposure but not composition.  Unfortunately, the development of my photography skills stalled upon my graduation from college and commissioning into the Armed Forces.  

After my military retirement and eventual dabbling into digital photography, I purchased a digital single lens reflex camera and made a commitment to improve my skills.  I attribute much of my progress to my joining NVPS and getting critique from my images.  My success in being awarded the 2011 Versatile Photographer of the Year - Novice Category, is a tribute valued membership provided by NVPS. I've benefited by developing my shot discipline and eye for composition.

While I enjoy photographing everything from sports to photojournalism, my passion is nature photography to include landscapes and wildlife.  

Last year I was selected as a volunteer photographer for the National Park Service to help capture images of the 150th Anniversary of the 1st Battle of Bull Run.  It was an honor to be involved in the activities at the National Park as well as the reenactments at the nearby fields.