I think I was around 12 years old when I first picked up a camera. Peering through that Konica rangefinder and playing with the controls just felt right and I knew that photography was for me.

It wasn’t until I was 16 that I got my first really good camera. It was a 35mm Minolta XG-M SLR that I had been drooling over for quite a while. At the time, I had a part-time job at Woolworth’s and every payday, I would run down to the camera store for new goodies. Another lens, some more filters, a new flash, a better tripod…I couldn’t get enough.

Back then, the process of photography was quite different from today. Unless you had your own darkroom (which I didn’t), it wasn’t until after a very painful week or two that you could finally see the images that you had created.

Transitioning to the digital era has been incredibly exciting for me. I love being able to edit photos on the fly and have a final image ready before the day is over. 

While the equipment may be different, the philosophy is still the same. Create an image that speaks from the heart, invokes an emotion and tells a story. I hope that my images speak to you!

Mike