My personal work has been influenced by many inspirational areas, and people.In my travels, I find that wondrous things happen everywhere I look. This said there are special and spiritual areas like the American Southwest, Minnesota, England and my ancestral home of Italy, that influence and touch me greatly.

Buildings and other man made structures are a running theme through the majority of my personal photographs. I find it interesting how we have worked so hard at separating ourselves from the elements and the magic and self awareness that we can derive from them. We have actually tried to protect ourselves from the elements through these structures but ultimately the elements prevail in the ruins that I find everywhere. I can only hope that we will not have to fall to ruin to discover the magic and self awareness.

My earliest people influences were the nameless photographers work that appeared on the back pages of Life Magazine. The magazine would arrive on Wednesday and I would always turn to the back page first to see the magic.

The first photographer that I was introduced to was a family friend and an east coast commercial photographer by the name of Robin Perry. Seeing his studio and the wonders of the darkroom hooked me like nothing else. In 1968 I met Ansel Adams at a public lecture and was first introduced to the Zone System. This carried me forward to learn about so many other photographers including Edward Weston, Imogen Cunningham, Margaret Bourke-White, Ruth Bernhard, Michael Kenna, Edward Steichen, Paul Strand, Paul Caponigro, Brassai, Alfred Steiglitz, Richard Avedon, Skrebneski and Yousuf Karsh. All of these photographers have, in their own way, taken and imposed something in the way I see. The most important influence was my introduction to and subsequent assisting of Morley Baer.

Morley was one of the finest architectural photographers of his time, winning the top photographers award of the American Institute of Architecture. Morley's inspiration was Edward Weston and after World War II he met Edward and they became friends. It was through this friendship that I believe his philosophy of photography blossomed. For me Morley's philosophy transcends the world of art into everyday life. His ability to approach his commissioned as well as his personal work with the same heart and soul has inspired me to constantly seek the art of life!

In seeking the art of life, the creative process is a prayer for understanding. The art work created is the evidence of that process.

With this belief firmly in hand, I follow the direction of some visceral need. I find that this connection with my subject opens my eyes to its beauty - or at least its beauty reveiled to me. It is the relationship of shared energies that makes the statement. Not the artist and not the subject alone but the connection (collaboration) the two have that transforms the craft into an artistic expression.

Like any relationship some magically appear with shocking familiarity, others mature slowly, requiring a trust be developed before revealing itself. Courage is required since the best of these relationships help reveal less than beautiful parts of ourselves. Courage to embrace and transmute these parts into extraordinary beauty. All relationships require compassion and faith that the engagement will ultimately help us understand ourselves, others, place and especially spirit, far better in the end.

The images I create are the evidence of this process.

My personal photographic work has always been in black and white. Black and white keeps the imagination piqued for both the maker of the photographs as well as the viewer.

Color photographs takes away the ability of the viewer to color the image as they want - even if it's outside the lines!

I have been using Tri-X since I started in photography in the late 60's and have not seen any reason to change. That doesn't mean that I do not try new films regularly and some of the photographs you see in the Fine Art portfolios have been done on some other films. What it means is that I continually go back to the familiar palate that Tri-X provides me.

If what you have seen in the portfolios makes you want to purchase one or more of the images... thank you!!!

My purchased prints are all fine art archival digital prints in either 8x10, 11x4 or 16x20 inches in a archival museum mount over mat. They are all in signed, limited editions of 45 total per size. After 45 prints are sold the image will be retired.

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If your are interested in purchasing any of my Fine Art photographic prints please send an E-mail to see availability and pricing to orders@image-center.com.