Introduction

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Artist, Photographer, Romantic, Engineer. All-around Creative Man…

My work and my personal life merge as I find every aspect of life inspiring and productive. I’m constantly learning and growing. Spiritually, Emotionally, Personally, Intellectually and Professionally. I live to learn as I learn to live.

My Early Years

I grew up in rural NY State. It was a beautiful, but isolated place. Had I known what I know now, I would have used this isolation to meditate and commune with nature. It wasn’t completely lost on me that I lived in paradise. I took frequent walks in the woods. Sometimes alone. Sometimes with my mother, dog, or my sister. The wonders abound. Flowers, trees, and wildlife. But boredom was a constant companion too.

In the early 70s, my parents moved the family to California. It was a fraught time. My parents were constantly fighting. My brother was a bully. And my performance in school was poor. After several years of this turmoil, the family finally broke up. Things improved for me at this point. I lived with my father and my siblings went with my mother. My stepmother was kind to me. I wasn’t used to this type of love. There were still lots of problems, but the improvement was marked.

Adult Life

After high school, I worked fast food jobs to get through college. I didn’t get a good education. I went to a trade school for computer science. It was a very basic degree, and the college oversold its usefulness. I struggled to find good work. I spent a year and a half working in a camera store. It was a pivotal move for me. Photography became a life-long passion. I got a break in my software career working for a behavioral studies firm the contracted with industrial giants to reduce workplace injuries.

I got married to my high school sweetheart and had two boys. We had many wonderful years together. But there was something missing that I had a great deal of difficulty identifying.

After separating in my early 40s, I began to study Buddhism. I met a spiritual teacher in Santa Barbara. He helped me open my eyes to a new way of thinking and living. I’ll always be grateful to him for his guidance and patience.

Professional Life

I’ve always had a passion for software development. Even primitive software projects have elements of living organisms. It’s akin to playing God on a tiny scale. Like Dr Frankenstein looking down on his abomination and exclaiming, “It’s ALIVE !!”

I’ve been involved in software development of various sorts for more than 40 years now. I started in desktop systems built for MS DOS when PC computing was in its infancy. We were on the bleeding edge of the industry. The machines and tools were slow and rudimentary. It took enormous effort to squeeze every bit of performance out of the system to stay viable.

Over the course of my career, I’ve seen advances that are remarkable to say the least. From advances in desktop computing to the rise of the internet to the birth of AI. Throughout it all, I’ve had to become increasingly specialized to be a success in my field. I have loved my career.

Photography

I bought my first camera from a local photography store when I was 20 years old. I had a telescope and I wanted to photograph the sky. I was not a successful astro-photographer. But it launched me on a path to creating some breathtaking art that I’m very proud of today.

I ended up taking a sales position at the camera store. I met some amazing people. And I worked with some top-notch photographers. People that studied at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. The very same school where Ansel Adams himself lectured students. I learned from these talented and knowledgeable individuals. I learned the ins and outs of exposure. I studied the effect of aperture on the image. I gained knowledge of what constitutes good equipment and how to use it. The experience was life changing.

I went on taking pictures and experimenting for years. Eventually, I decided to go professional. I bought the equipment to turn my images into art. I created a product that I could sell. And my customers loved what I created.

The experience of photographing the world and selling my art to an international audience was the honor of my life. It was transformative. I learned things about myself that are invaluable. And I’ve become a better person for it.

Family Life

I was a family man through my early adulthood. We owned a house. We had a dog. It was exciting, fun, scary, and beautiful. I’m thankful for the experience.

My two sons are great. They are unique, smart and kind souls. They’ve grown to be good and decent young men.

Spiritual Life

My spiritual teacher is one of the wisest men I’ve ever known. He’s dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge and the spiritual advancement of the people who study with him and the world at large. I credit him and the lineage of teachers before him for the most major changes in my life.