By profession, I am a biomedical engineer with many
years of experience overseeing the application of medical technology in New
York City hospitals. By desire, I am a photographer with many more years
experience than working in my profession. I am an amateur in the classic sense;
I photograph what I care about.
I was born in New York City (Doctor's Hospital, now a luxury
condominium), and have lived and worked in and around NYC all my life. My
education in photography began about age 17, and took place in a small darkroom,
a closet under the stairs leading to the basement of the house I grew up in. Eventually,
my darkroom had two enlargers, one for medium format, and I could produce both
color and black-and-white images. Now, like most, I use a digital camera,
scanner, and printer. Not better, just different.
I've never been a high-tech enthusiast, although I have
studied aspects of Weston's and Adams' zone system. My favorite cameras were
the Nikkormat 35mm and the inexpensive, early point-and-shoot cameras, like a
Brownie with 127 film. And now - simple, inexpensive, point-and-shoot
cameras.
Different technologies offer different ways of feeling
about the process of photographing: SLR with film – careful, exacting; Brownie
with film and viewfinder – playful; rear display digital point and shoot –
casual, careless.