I have been a professional photographer since the age of 14, had My first solo exhibition at the age of 17 and sold my first photograph to Leo Burnett Advertising at 18. I read voraciously about photography, spent countless thousands of hours in the darkroom, even more in front of a computer monitor, and ultimately created millions of photographs. I spent years working with advertising agencies on many prominent ad campaigns and have won my share of awards.
Technology always intrigued me and when I tested my first digital camera, I knew it was what I had longed for since the introduction of Polaroid. When I discovered Photoshop in late 1990, it was amazing, but digital photography opened a new world to me. My first digital camera, Kodak’s DCS460, was more than $28,000 and a gig of RAM for my Tower Power Pro (a Mac clone that allowed for more memory) cost $22,000. Boy, have times changed. (See Technology.)
My wife was an early yoga convert and soon went from jogging a few miles to running marathons beginning in 1975; I thought she was off the deep end. Well, my pathetic, out of shape body wasn’t prepared for my own rebirth as a runner four years later. After I quit smoking cigarettes in 1979, I became a fitness fanatic and began jogging. Six months later I finished my first marathon, got hooked and ran five more marathons in the first two years of running. I continue to work out, with a bit less fanaticism. Reading, playing catch with my grandson, attending an occasional gallery opening and working 60 to 80 hours a week as a photographer round out my life.