There is little doubt that photography found me before my teens. My first camera was as odd as the first car I learned to drive – a 35mm Voigtlander Bassamatic followed by a Citroen DS21, respectively. Both were like a bejewelled watch.
When I graduated high school, rather than don the traditional cap and gown, I chose to show up, camera in hand, to cover the event like a street photographer. I provided ‘environmental portraits’ rather than the traditional head and shoulder images of my fellow students. While not overly lucrative, I could put a few dollars away to attend Ryerson Polytechnic (now Metropolitan University) for Photographic Arts.
Several mentors championed my enrolment at Ryerson in Toronto. There, I spent my formative years with a ‘who's who’ of photography, many of whom I had the privilege to meet—people who still influence my work today.
Influencers: Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Paul Caponigro, Imogene Cunningham, Elliot Erwit, Walker Evans, Lee Friedlander, Rob Gooblar, Emmet Gowin, Hiro, André Kertész, Vivian Maier, Arnorld Newman, W. Eugene Smith, Don Snyder, Paul Strand, Frederick Somers, Paul Strand, Margaret Burke White, Minor White, Gary Winogrand, and my favourite — Edward Weston.
Today, I live in Canada (near Toronto), travel as much as possible, take photographs almost daily in search of new stories, and work on specific projects. I live with my adorable wife of 45+ years – Suzi (The Tomato Lady), our faithful dog – Timpano and our cheeky cat – Billy Joe.
