I'm not a photographer.

I have a BFA in Fine Art Photography, gallery credits, published images, have run and owned commercial darkrooms, but I do not consider myself a photographer. I enjoy creating photographs and have for more than forty years.  I was trained by a lifetime Time-Life staffer that was the very first Sports Illustrated photographer and also by a Vietnam vintage career Navy photographer, but I am not a photographer.

These days, every person that takes phone photos or spends far too much on camera gear calls themselves photographers. Like the advent of digital editing, phone applications, and web distribution, it has diluted the art and science of true photography, created mass mediocrity of images, and commoditized the title of "photographer."

As such I do not call myself by that title. Many people these days use the title without respect or even understanding. Someone who owns a camera of any type or level and takes pictures is not a photographer...

• Ansel was a photographer. A friend was his assistant. Awesome folks.
• W. Eugene Smith was a photographer. One of my all-time favorites. He was a compassionate and fascinating human. Read up on him sometime.
• Weegee and Edward Weston were photographers.
• Paul Strand was a photographer.
• Joseph Nicephore Niepce was a photographer. Arguably the very first one.

I'm not a photographer, but I enjoy creating images. My hope is that someone somewhere might enjoy one or more of my images as well. Welcome. 

*For those gearheads that want to know and think that the camera makes any difference (it doesn't), I am a FujiFilm X-System evangelist for both normal and infrared use. For decades I used Nikon 35mm exclusively and my FM2 and F3HP were constant companions. I used Pentax 645 for medium format and a Speed Graphic for 4x5 film. When digital hit, I stayed with Nikon for a good while, the D1-D3 days. Then when looking for the "next" Nikon I finally saw the light, chucked all of my Nikon gear, and went all-in on Fujifilm mirrorless. I briefly used an XPro 1, then somehow ended up with multiple XE-1's, and the rest is a blur. I haven't looked back nor ever desired to. These days I use an XT body for normal applications, a fully converted XE-1 body for infrared applications, and Fuji glass exclusively. My huge bags of gear that the Nikons took up have been replaced by a single Domke canvas messenger - and I've lost zero capability.