Life is not what we experience, but how we interpret and remember it.
Born and raised in Oshkosh WI, I have lived in Tucson, Milwaukee, Chicago and Dallas. I am currently in LA, and available nationally and internationally.
Photographer
I am an artist, and photography is the main way I express myself, along with writing and painting. To me photography is fun, invigorating, my passion (how many people can say that about their jobs?) I can't imagine doing anything else. Over the years of being a full-time professional photographer I've been graced with many new friends, shared much laughter, and heard wonderful stories.
My fascination with photography began at age ten when I was given a black and white Polaroid camera. In high school I spent most of my time manipulating the medium while developing negatives and prints (some images from those days). Prior to college I worked as a professional hairstylist and makeup artist. Although I no longer perform those services, they have fine-tuned my eye to those details. In college I majored in photography, art and creative writing, with a solo showing upon graduating. I modeled with Arlene Wilson for five years in Milwaukee and Chicago, and an agency in Tucson. The modeling experiences proved invaluable in working with models, agents and clients, although I hungered to be more creative - I wanted to be the photographer! Corporate America beckoned, and for 19 years I worked as a commercial and industrial photographer, shooting industrial products for Fortune 500 companies' brochures, manuals and marketing campaigns. Still, no matter how incredible a product shot turned out there was no element of surprise. Once a product was placed and properly lit nothing else happened.
Now, I turn my camera toward models, enjoying the spontaneity and interaction with people. The human aspect of photography - facial expressions, body language and the nuances of features - is much more interesting. I enjoy shooting bold colors, working with high contrast, natural lighting, and shooting on-location. Here is a behind-the-scenes look at one of my shoots.
My first coffee table book of photography "Male Perfection: Ripped, Shredded, and Muscular" was published in 2004.
Author
I wrote my first published short story when I was seventeen. At age nineteen I started my first novel Shooting Stars, and after three rewrites I finished four years later. I penned my second novel A Life in a Day during the summer of 1997 while in college. The third novel, Explosive Consequences was written between 1999-2001, and I finished my fourth novel (and first to be published), Complex Lives, in 2005. Currently I am working on the sequel to Complex Lives called Scattered Existences.
Artist
I have been drawing since age three, painting since I was ten. To this day my favorite medium is acrylic on canvas, and I have produced thirty-two 36x48 paintings over the years, most held privately. Painting is complete relaxation for me. I put in my favorite CDs and get lost for hours in the colors and texture of the paint.
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