In school I had a painting teacher that cautioned his class on using black paint. Perhaps he did not like black in compositions or felt a heaviness or danger in its lack of illuminating color spectrum. Being the rebel I was then, I used black paint because I liked its dimensional qualities. To this day I find black or darkness make imagery more realistic as the contrast can give a grit or a dynamic impact. It directs the eye through composition posing a mystery to the negativ

Entrepreneurs are a rare breed of individuals and partnerships that are constantly reinvigorating the nature of business. Sometimes found tucked away in non-traditional environments of old warehouse buildings in this rust belt region, they begin small and lean attracting forward thinking talent to build solid frameworks that provide services for modern commerce. They push the old business models into new terrority. These entrepreneurs begin with ideas and intentions turning d

Give a person a stage with microphone and you will learn who they really are. Any public platform can expose the good, the bad and the ugly of any individual. I am so lucky that my platform has been photography as a means to express myself and share observations. I choose to express the positive more than the negative because to dwell elsewhere is to not appreciate opportunity. Whether it has been commercial assignments or personal work creating through a lens has given me a

Thanksgiving for me is about coming home, whether that's a literal place or within one's self. Its a time of reflecting on the warmth of love and bounty from harvest. Even when life is challenging there are many many aspects to be grateful for if not the mere opportunity of each day. I recently received a communication from a friend and business colleague in which she chronicled a health crisis in which she nearly lost her life. It gave her pause. Sharing her ordeal gave

It occurred to me while reading a personal ad how easy and yet difficult writing such a profile can be. Clarity about criteria such as Must Love Dogs and Children is a necessity. For many its a deal breaker. Similar to business marketing plans, the key is in being clear about what you want and identifying the target companies with matching profiles and products for positive transactions. It all begins with a focused intention and direct tailored messaging. When I hear of corp

As a photographer a key characteristic to my craft is being observant studying the world around me wherever I find myself. When I first started capturing pictures it was of unguarded family moments. In doing so I learned about human interaction and individual personalities. To this day I enjoy people watching. If you’ve ever been the subject of my watching then you know I study rather intently. Not trying to be creepy, I just enjoy observing how people interact with each othe

Years ago I photographed a United Way campaign that asked the audience to feel the way someone else feels. In reality we aren’t capable of that empathy unless we have some parallel experiences. At best we can only imagine. There has been debate over the recent Nike ad featuring Colin Kaepernick. In spite of peacefully protesting during the Anthem, the focus has been on whether or not it's patriotic which to me is futile as is burning Nike apparel. The basis of Kaepernick’s pr

We have a tendency to echo sentiments which we have heard from our own elders. "Well back in my day... " Stories about how things use to be done or even how perspectives were. I feel that maybe before we go that route we might realize that each generation offers contributions based on their own vibration if you will. Ever notice the types of music that are indicative of various generations? The tones, the beats, the lyrics are inherent and relevant in shifting energies and

Not unlike many photographers in Northeast Ohio I do my fair share of different projects. After recently working on a new product line launch, I received the opportunity in several projects to again photograph people. Much to my delight I met Ben pictured here. His lightness of spirit made my day as many others do. Whomever Ben works with has the pleasure of a team member that gets it, he knows how to do his job while servicing clients yet doesn't take himself too seriousl

Whether home is on the range, out in the field, or in the office there is nothing quite like the feeling of a good's day work and it's sense of accomplishment. When the work requires physical labor there is a marked difference for many people.  Call it exhaustion but that involvement of the body in work especially when there is a passion for the tasks brings a reality to it.  We can look back to see something concrete from our attention and intentions. In today's intellectua

A new chapter is about to begin!  It's an emotional journey mixed with excitement, pride, a sense of accomplishment yet tempered with tearful moments. On Saturday my son will be moving into his college residence. My thoughts vacillating between stuff he needs for college and realizations the house will be without his laughter or, "hey Mom can you bring me something to eat".  Loads of laundry will be less, grocery bill smaller and the kitchen less used. My list of reminder

It was a cold January evening when Robert Lockwood Jr. came to my photo studio for a portrait session creating the cover of his Delta Crossroads album for Telarc Records. I had had the idea to photograph Robert on location at night by a train or bus station but the bitterness of that year's winter negated it. Studio bound we were to depict the man behind the solo striped down spartan collection of Delta Blues. The conversation between us was easy since Robert had recognized

Cue Steppenwolf ,“Born to be Wild” and it congers a modern day renegade or outlaw riding off into freedom. However, motorcycle enthusiasts are across the board from all walks of life riding a variety of brands. The commonality is in feeling the wind on ones face and the wanderlust of an open road. A collective not unlike boaters or car buffs where adventure, engines and forward movement are central. The involvement for many motorcycle riders goes beyond just purchasing a moto

Have you ever noticed how you react to the physical appearance of other people? What causes either positive or negative feelings in those first split seconds? What repels you to not engage a stranger? When you see someone with tattoos what's your reaction? Meet Geoff Jorgensen. Geoff is a CFO of a successful NEO company. He graduated college with a degree in business finance. Geoff also models part time and that is how I met him. By all accounts Geoff is a clean cut, well m

Laura crouching over with table knife in hand was planting seedlings. Her long curly hair dancing on the breeze. It was a juxtaposition of this beautiful woman and the rough textures of the farmland. I had come to visit George Remington and in the process spent time with Laura West who helps manage his MorningSide Farms. While Laura worked I inquired how she came to farming and in particular MorningSide Farms. "I went to college for fashion marketing", she confided and then e

One thing in life you can count on is change! Certainly George Remington can attest to that. While thriving as a commercial photographer, George sustained a neck injury limiting his ability to photograph types of projects he had previously. The circumstances calling into question what George would do with his professional life and his time. While George recuperated he thought of his options with no clear sense of what was ahead and dealing with the emotional upheaval of a ma

With humble beginnings in his father's TV repair shop, Mike found a world of wonder that he could build with his hands. A product of the 50s and 60s Mike grew up listening to rock and roll. Musically he kept the beat by playing drums. Anthem lyrics promoting living life on your own terms punctured by electric guitars licks and melodies with free spirit energy. He listened carefully as the evolution of sound recording took beloved tunes from vinyl to tape to digital. One compo

We all have those crazy friends that make us smile and laugh. Beth is one of those people for me. She is forever upbeat, refreshing and real. And yes, a bit zany at times! She has endured plenty of hard knocks along the way yet has had the ability to bring levity to any situation. In knowing her, I attribute it to her creative spirit... She would say, "it's life and you have take it as it comes". Its probably got something to do with her love of Poodles. Pictured here wi

Amidst projects and deadlines of the chaotic corporate world, how does one keep their center and calm? There are a few people I have met along the way that I feel embody a spiritual vibe without being overly obvious or religious. Jeff Balazs is one of those whom have an aura of peacefulness and kindness that comes naturally. Jeff has found a balance. He knows where the boundary is for him on how invested he can be successfully so that he has energy and time for activities f

How does a great designer feed his craft? What inspires him? Most days you'll find Tim designing books at Walter Greene & Company. As with many creatives their artistic expression crosses over into other mediums. Tim is not just an impeccable designer but a multi-talent artist. Beginning in his teens, Tim has had a passion for playing harmonica and for the blues from the 1920s through 1940s. Mostly playing in private learning the techniques and tones available, he built an