I’ve been seriously involved with landscape photography for a little more than two decades, a period in which the tools of photography have undergone dramatic change. Nevertheless, the key to the final result is the same as it always has been and is the same as any art medium: the creative eye of the artist. Shortly after I began this journey, I was lucky enough to have participated in a landscape photography course taught by the late Galen Rowell, and he remains the most significant influence on my work. My favorite time to photograph is a brief period that happens twice each day—the time just before sunrise and the time just after sunset. The time that Galen called “The Magic Hour.” In addition to classic landscape subjects I often use the same techniques in the urban environment of Washington DC. People often ask about my gear: I use digital cameras, both single lens reflex (DSLRs) and mirrorless. Once the images are captured, the action moves to my studio where they are processed on a computer and then are printed on one of two digital printers, depending on their size.

Activities will vary according to the interest of the visitor. There will be at least one continuous-loop slide show illustrating lighting and post-processing techniques. There is a “How I got that shot” story behind every image in the studio, an excellent way for visitors to discover how an image that interests them was photographed. It could be about a Grizzly Bear snagging a salmon in mid-air or a midnight capture of the Milky Way.

My studio is a fairly large space, about 1200 square feet, that serves both as a production area and as a gallery displaying my work. The production process includes digital post-production on a networked computer system, a printing area with several printers of differing size and capability, and a matting/framing area where finished prints can be prepared for hanging on a wall.