When I’m not running my technology company, or working on my 2006 US Forestry Hotshot buggy, I’m spending my spare time on photography. I love photography. If I’m not photographing, then I’m reading about photography from my ever growing collection of photography books.
Although I have earlier memories of photography, I became most interested while in high school after moving from Michigan to California with my family. My creative outlet at the time was pottery, but my new high school in California didn’t offer pottery. I decided to take a photography class instead, and ended up really enjoying it. From there I got involved in yearbook, and then a local sports newspaper. I even won a few regional photography awards. After graduating high school, I went to college while working as a freelance photographer assistant. Shortly afterward, and while still in college, I started my own commercial photography business. I primarily shot corporate, high-tech, medical, product, and some editorial (Ability Magazine, National Lampoon, Entrepreneur). I enjoyed the editorial work the most. For one reason or another, I got out of the photography business and started a career in information technology. I’ve always been somewhat of a technology geek. I started my own business (BoogieTools, Inc.) in 1999 while I worked for another company as a software developer. I went full time with BoogieTools in 2002 and have been running it ever since. Since that time, I’ve always kept my toes in the photography world in one way or another, but mostly as a hobby.
Recently I had the opportunity to setup an in-house corporate photography studio for a local international food company. With my commercial photography experience, and feeling like I needed a change from what I’d been doing, I volunteered to set it up for them. I started doing photo-shoots of their products as well (cookies, donuts, cakes, etc.). Most of it was shot on white seamless paper which, as most photographers know, isn’t the most exciting thing to be shooting. Doing this work brought back all the memories and reasons of why I got out of commercial photography to begin with. It also reminded me of a story a photographer friend once told. He had a corporate client that made dolls for children, and he’d have these big discussions with them about if the doll’s head should be turned “this way or that way… that way or this way”. We’d have similar conversations at the food company, “Should we spin the donut a little bit to the left… or to the right? This way… or that way?” Ugh!
So here I am today. These days I’m interested in portraiture, social documentary, citizen journalism, and travel photography. I’m interested in working with NGO’s on long term projects, creating meaningful photos, while helping to make a positive difference in the world.