Born and raised in a small town in Indiana I joined the US Navy at the age of eighteen with designs on being an aviation electronics tech. After bombing out of that school because I spent every waking spare moment in the base hobby centers darkroom instead of on my studies I was sent to shore duty in Jacksonville, Florida. I was there about six months when I was asked what I would like to do for the rest of my time in the Navy. I said I would like to be Photographer. The board of inquirers laughed and said wouldn't we all. Then they said they may be able temporarily assign me to the base photo lab. That actually did happen and I spent a long time in the Black and white print room. Finally I was assigned to the pool of shooting photographers. I shot many assignements and stood watch as duty photographer where I learned to shoot criminal investigative, portraiture, and ceremonial photography. One day in the fall of 1978 I was asked if I would like to go to photo school. Even though it meant I would have to extend my enlistment by one year I jumped at the chance to go to the number three ranked photo school in the world. After photo school I was sent to Key West Florida for another two years of shore duty. At the end of that rotation I was assigned to the photo processor maintenance and quality control school in Key west. Then I was sent to sea on the USS Nimitz and I was assigned to the intelligence photo center on ship. And i also ran the flight deck closed circuit TV Camera. After my enlistment in the Navy I went to work in several photo labs in the Indianapolis area and worked as a Quality control specialist for several years. I now am a full time Network Administrator (I finally got my degree in electronics after all)and run a portrait business of my own as well. The business is structured in such a way as I go to peoples homes with a fully portable and totally equipped portrait studio. I also shoot Church directories and do copy work. I am married to a wonderful wife and have three great kids. The oldest is 15 years old and the youngest is 4 1/2 months old.