My love of nature started on camping and hunting
in Arizona and eventually led me to earn a P Ph.D. in stream and fish
ecology. That path took me to places like Death Valley studying pupfish,
as well as Australia, Alaska, and Nevada. Some where along the way I
realized I was just as fascinated by photographing landscapes as much as
studying fish and wondered why I liked some pictures and not others.
After moving to Reno a conversation with a neighbor over the fence
(literally) pushed me to take photography classes and workshops. After
years of practice (remember the 10,000 rule) – and plenty of driving around
Nevada – I discovered that color and light were what mattered most to me.
Nevada’s midday light? Mostly “YUK”. So many of my photographs are
made early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the landscape
colors really “wakes up.”
My background in ecology shapes how I see the world. I think of
landscapes as where various physical, chemical, and biological processes
come together. Rather than simplifying a scene to one subject, my
photographs often hold several strong elements, leaving. Room for
viewers to decide what draws their eye.
Lately I have been exploring structures and forms “at my feet”, creating
inkblot like images inspired by the work of the Swiss psychologist Herman
Rorschach.
My work has been shown at various venues across northern Nevada and
California, including the Reno Tahoe International Art show. I also coauthored
(primary photographs) the book with Richard Schweickert
“Geology Along Nevada’s Highways” found at bookbaby.com and
Amazon).