Photographer Informaiton:
			I have always been interested in photography but have not been able to pursue it with any real earnest until the last few years. In years past I either did not have the financial resources or the time it requires to develop the skills necessary for this form of art. My main income is not currently generated through photography. My real income generating profession is in the electronics industry. I am a "Test Engineer / Engineering Manager" for the world largest manufacturer of computer chips. I develop test tooling used at various locations throughout the world with the major focus on interface hardware. Interface hardware is the electrical interconnect between a test system and the device (or multiple devices) under test. I develop hardware for testing silicon circuits for units that have already been put into package form as well as hardware for product that is still in the silicon wafer form. The interface systems that I develop are used in a number of different testing environments including initial product testing, test program generation, debug, device failure analysis, and production testing.
			Photography History
				I don't remember when my interest in photography first started but I know it was at a very early age. I believe the photo shown on the left was taken when I was about 8 years old. The camera I used to take this picture was an Agfa Pioneer. It took roll film and had no controls other than a shutter release and a film knob. The back of the camera was slightly curved which held the film in a curved form as well. At this young age the camera was just another toy to play with, but it was a start.
			When I was a little older in my teenage years I found that my father had a better camera that I could use. It is shown at the right. Since my father had stopped using it I was able to use it. I was able to figure out how it worked with a little bit of practice. It is a 35mm Agfa Karat with a 55mm f3.5 lens. It was old even back then! I still have the camera even though I have not used it since I was a teenager. The camera has a pop out bellows and all the necessary controls: Shutter speed from B to 1/250", aperture from f3.5 to f22, manual focus from approx. 1 meter to infinity and even a self-timer. The shutter has to be manually cocked each time you want to take a picture. The film counter only goes from 1 to 12 and I found out why when I used it. In order to use the camera you have to load the film into special cartridges that are removable from the camera. Of course, you have to do this in the dark. (What a pain) If you go much beyond 12 exposures the film drive gears will strip out the sprocket holes on the edge of the film and you are forced to stop taking any more pictures. Of course the film once exposed has to be removed from the special cartridges before processing. (Again, What a pain) I did take quite a few pictures with this camera, even some fairly good ones while hiking in Yosemite. Unfortunately I no longer have any of the photos taken back then. But I still have the camera!
			In my early twenties I became the proud owner of a Minolta SRT-202. I used it as often as I could, but in those days finances were very tight raising a family and I was not able to use the camera as much as I wanted to. I did take a few decent pictures, at least I thought so at the time. I also remember shooting a wedding or two for friends. The Minolta along with the other gear I had was stolen at my sister's wedding and once again I was without a camera. Today I have bought myself another SRT-202 just for nostalgia.
			An opportunity presented itself several years later when my employer presented me with a new Minolta Maxxum 5000 as a prize in a logo design contest. Besides that, I started to travel and was able to take advantage of my new toy. I still was not serious however. In 1999 I decided to start taking photography a little more seriously and started to buy some gear and started to participate in the art of photography. I enjoy many types of photography, but tend toward scenic and macro photography. I currently use both 35mm and 6x7cm medium format film cameras. I know that I will add digital to the camera arsenal soon.
			Equipment, Processing & Film
			Currently I use a combination of traditional and modern forms of processing. The images are captured on film and then converted to digital form. The digital files are adjusted just as any photo would be using traditional darkroom equipment, however mine is done on a computer. I try to keep the digital file as close to the original as possible. Once the digital file has been adjusted it is printed using several different methods depending on the use, the life longevity needed and desired level of expense.
			Since most of my work is landscape type photography, my preference for film is Fuji Velvia 50, Fuji Velvia 100F, and Fuji Provia 100F. I use several other types of film as well depending on the need. My preference for camera equipment varies by need, easy of use and financial resources. I am a firm believer that the photographer is in control of the process rather than the camera equipment. Just because someone owns the latest camera on the market does not necessarily make them a better photographer.
			I hope you enjoy my photographs and I look forward to working with you if you have a desire to purchase a print or specific use rights.

My original non-commercial site is still available Mike Fedler's "Focus On Photography"   

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