I am a longtime landscape / nature photographer based near Raleigh, North Carolina. I use a combination of vintage film cameras and equipment, along with conversion of film to digital files and final production via digital means, to create my work. More recently, I have recognized the value of digital cameras and to some extent modern lenses in continuing and improving my work in landscape and nature photography. Beginning in 2021, I will be using primarily digital cameras and a lot of vintage 35mm era lenses (1970 to 1990) to create new images. This should be a lot of fun and I look forward to adding new work to this and a companion website pinemountainprints.com.
I created the first version of this website back in 2010. At the time, it was kind of an aspirational endeavor aimed at doing something with my images. That meant basically getting them out to the world on a form of media with free access to everyone, unrestricted by entry fees, judgment by others, and anything else that might normally prevent an artist from gaining an audience. I’ve simplified the website recently to include samples of my most recent work, stories and techniques used on creating photographs, my statement and philosophy as an artist, and finally some stories about vintage photographic equipment I am fond of using. Hopefully, some of these stories will include videos. My primary goal to advance through this website is to give people knowledge and information about photography and to engage in some interaction with others to gain knowledge and promote their work.
As I mentioned, much of the subject matter of my work involves landscapes and nature photography, as I seem to connect with these subjects and have a lifelong love of the natural environment. I spent about 20 years in the urban planning profession, lived in Germany for a few years, and spent a lot of time living/working in Milwaukee and Chicago. I have always been fascinated by cities and architecture, especially in older cities like those in the eastern United States, and thus another favorite subject I have photographed over the years as well. I anticipate future work in this area to be primarily black and white photography, and perhaps more abstract in nature.
In general, my images are created and processed with minimal manipulation and are presented as I visualized and experienced the scenes. I say that with the understanding that photography is not a perfect medium, and always involves some degree of manipulation of reality. Because of the medium’s many variations, there are also opportunities to create images that obviously deviate from reality. Black and white images are a good example of this. Also, much more creative and abstract material can be created using digital photography than was ever possible with traditional photographic processes, and I intend to experiment with this option some more in future work.
Recent Images
click on any image below for more information
Fall color - oaks and longleaf pines - Holly Springs NC The fall colors in the woods around my neighborhood near Raleigh NC vary a lot from year to year depending upon the summer weather, and can be quite spectacular, as were the oak trees in 2019. For this shot, I used a Pentax ME Super 35mm camera with a SMC Pentax 50mm f2 lens, and Fujichrome Sensia 100 film. I developed the film, along with the rest of the last dozen rolls of Fujichrome left in my freezer, at the end of 2020.
Windows in late afternoon - Heidelberg, Germany The old city of Heidelberg is a wonderland of historic buildings and places which escaped unscathed from the bombs of WWII. I lived in southern Germany for a few years in the early 1980s, and made frequent Saturday trips to Heidelberg, which was about an hour train ride. I had my Pentax ME Super 35mm camera, which I bought new in 1980, along with two of the Vivitar Series 1 lenses. This image was taken with the Series 1 70-210mm lens (version 2 made by Tokina) on Ektachrome 64 film in September 1983. I still have the camera and 70-210mm lens, which are still favorites after 40 years.
Pink lilies- Raulston Arboretum - Raleigh NC The arboretum at North Carolina State University in Raleigh NC has an abundance of flowers in bloom from early May until the intense summer heat shows up in mid-June. I usually make multiple visits per year because you just never know what will happen. For this shot, I used a Canon AE-1 35mm camera with Canon FD 50mm macro lens and Fujichrome Sensia 100 film. I developed the film, along with the rest of the last dozen rolls of Fujichrome left in my freezer, at the end of 2020.
Bond Falls - near Watersmeet, Michigan Bond Falls is one of my favorite spots in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and I try to get there every 2 or 3 years. I had a perfect opportunity in June 2018 with light overcast conditions for nice, soft light. For this shot, I used equipment and film that were totally new to me at the time. I shot the image with a Konica FC-1 35mm camera and a Hexanon 24mm lens on Kodak Ektar 100 color negative film. My discovery of Konica Hexanon lenses was a good one, and the same goes for Ektar 100 film, which makes shooting on 35mm film quite relevant and enjoyable in the digital age.
Fumee Creek - near Norway, Michigan Fumee Creek falls is one of my favorite spots in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, located in a small park right off the main highway. In July, 2019 there was a nice flow of water, as that was not a dry year, and the light overcast conditions were perfect light. For this shot, I used what has become one of my favorite 35mm camera systems. The image was taken with a Konica FC-1 35mm camera with a Hexanon 21mm lens on Kodak Ektar 100 color negative film. My discovery of Konica Hexanon lenses was a good one, and the same goes for Ektar 100 film, which makes shooting on 35mm film quite relevant and enjoyable in the digital age.
Colorful bush on the Haw River - near Pittsboro, North Carolina The Haw River State Natural Area in central NC, about 15 miles from home, is a great place to hike and take pictures in all seasons. I was a bit late for fall color in November 2019, and was quite disappointed with the trip, when I found this bright orange bush among the rocks. I love the way it contrasted with the somewhat dull surroundings. The image was shot with the trusty Canon AE-1 35mm camera with a "new" 20mm Canon FD lens on Ektar 100 color negative film. As I later figured out, that Canon 20mm lens is an awesome 20mm legacy super wide angle - a real keeper.
Smoky Mountain Stream - Great Smoky Mountains N.P, Tennessse I have a few favorite spots in the Smoky Mountains, and this one is off Newfound Gap Rd. near the Chimney Tops trailhead, where two streams come together. For this shot, I used my favorite medium format camera - a Mamiya Universal Press - with a 50mm lens and color negative film (6x8cm negative size). Medium format color negative film has always been my favorite medium, as it can capture a wide dynamic range and is capable of about 35 good megapixels of resolution. Taken in September 2018.
Mountain vista - Shenandoah N.P. Virginia This was my first real photo-taking trip to Shenandoah, in September 2020, after traveling through it briefly in 2016. I got a number of good photos on that trip. This image was shot with the Canon AE-1 35mm camera with a 20mm Canon FD lens on Ektar 100 color negative film. I don't usually shoot this kind of scene with a superwide lens, but that's what it took to get the big oak tree in the picture. Fortunately, the Canon FD 20mm is great from corner to corner at f8.
Devils Lake - near Madison, Wisconsin Devils Lake is an all time favorite for Wisconsin folks who love the outdoors, with climbable rock bluffs rising several hundred feet from the lake. This is a popular rock formation known as Devil's Doorway. For this shot, I used my favorite medium format camera - a Mamiya Universal Press - with a 75mm lens and color negative film (6x8cm negative size). Medium format color negative film has always been my favorite medium, as it can capture a wide dynamic range and is capable of about 35 good megapixels of resolution. This image was taken in September 2005.
Hydrangea - WRAL Gardens in Raleigh NC As everyone knows, 2020 was not a good year for travel or much else. My favorite botanical gardens in the Raleigh-Durham area were all closed, so I discovered the WRAL Gardens - maintained by a local TV station and media company on their property. It's such an awesome place, I'll be back a few times in 2021, especially for the azaleas. Again, I brought along the trusty Canon AE-1 35mm camera and the ever-useful Canon FD 50mm macro lens. This combo is great for shooting flowers, and I prefer 50mm lens for macro over 90mm or 100mm because of the much better DOF. Shot on one of my last rolls of Fujichrome film.
Hydrangea - WRAL Gardens in Raleigh NC As everyone knows, 2020 was not a good year for travel or much else. My favorite botanical gardens in the Raleigh-Durham area were all closed, so I discovered the WRAL Gardens - maintained by a local TV station and media company on their property. It's such an awesome place, I'll be back a few times in 2021, especially for the azaleas. Again, I brought along the trusty Canon AE-1 35mm camera and the ever-useful Canon FD 50mm macro lens. This combo is great for shooting flowers, and I prefer 50mm lens for macro over 90mm or 100mm because of the much better DOF. Shot on one of my last rolls of Fujichrome film.
Get Printable Photographs At Pine Mountain Prints
Part of getting my photography out into the world is to make it visible to as many people as possible, at as affordable a price as possible, and as easy to find as possible. That means being on frequently-visited and well-known places on the internet, including social media and an online marketplace. To keep this website focused on the creation of photographs, use and repair of vintage equipment, and the process of the fun of photography, my images appear on a companion website at Pine Mountain Prints.
Most of my work is ready for you to download and print at your favorite printer. It can be easily browsed, searched, and purchased at the Pine Mountain Prints website and Etsy Shop. The website features a collection of selected past and present photography in a series of photo galleries. The idea is to get it on your wall and have your start enjoying it as part of your decor. There is plenty of variety to suit any decor, the prices are very affordable, and it’s easy to get prints on various media and canvas prints made by printers either online or in your area. The images also work great for a desktop background on your desktop or laptop computer.
Short Articles on New Images, New Equipment, Insights on Photography
Please check out the blog on this website for stories about individual images, locations, equipment used, etc. Any finished photographs mentioned will be available for purchase and download at pinemountainprints.com and the Pine Mountain Prints Etsy Shop.
My tweets (below) usually indicate what I’m up to on a regular basis.
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