As a child growing up in Ohio in the 1950s, I liked to draw “Peanuts” characters, thinking of becoming a cartoonist like Charles Schulz. I also liked taking pictures with my dad’s Kodak Brownie Hawkeye and learned to use his 8mm movie camera to film stop-motion sequences of my friends. All of these experiences sparked my interest in photography, animation, and making movies. My career in cinema production and teaching photography gave me the opportunity to use all of these interests in designing and working as an artist on film sets for feature films. I loved it all!

College training took me to Grace College in Indiana with a focus on music, art, and cinema. I graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Creative Studies. It wasn’t until 1972 while serving in the Army that I first began to focus on photography. I purchased a used Nikon 35mm film camera and learned to process and print my black and white images in the Army base’s photography darkroom. I could compose a picture, click the shutter, and then process and print the photo all by myself. I was hooked!

In 1976, I graduated from Bob Jones University with a Master of Arts degree in Cinema. I recently retired after 40 years in filmmaking and photography, working as an instructor and Production Designer in the Cinema Department at BJU. I also taught classes in The Art of Photography, Digital Imaging Techniques, and Scenic Design.

These varied experiences have allowed me to express in visual ways my thoughts, joys, and passions that God uniquely put within me.