Photography (and Essays)

When I was nineteen and attempting to switch majors from Physics to Film at UCLA, I picked up a a camera and began taking pictures. A lot of pictures. I was a science student and felt I had no standing as a visual artist  How could I attempt to make films if I had never really made pictures?  I schooled myself in f-stop, shutter speed, foot candles, and dynamic range. 

I picked up a camera again eight years ago when I moved to Rochester, NY from Los Angeles, CA to begin teaching screenwriting at RIT. I was inspired by how much there was in my new home to photograph: the foliage, the sky, the snow, the Erie Canal, and Lake Ontario.

I was also inspired by the photography-sharing social media service "Instagram." It was a simple and convenient way for a lot of people to see my pictures, "like" my pictures, and even comment on them. That feedback (and attention) encouraged me to take more and more photographs and gradually hone my abilities. I have not earned a dime from my photographs. I have not displayed them in a gallery, I have received recognition from some very well-followed sites through features and photography contests. This is not traditional creation, dissemination, and peer review , but I think in 2021 it should be seriously considered and considered serious.