The Platypus Workshop at the Brooks Institute Ventura Campus was everything I expected and more. Lots of how-to and inspiration spread out for the better part of two weeks and 12-hour days. Grueling, non-stop and terrific. Dirck Halstead was kind enough to invite me to write an account for digitaljournalist.org.

What's a Platypus? Find out at: http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0704/10-days-in-boot-camp-march-2007-platypus-workshop-report.htm

Here's a look at my article about ultralight backpacking for photographers. It appeared in the February 2007 issue of Digital Photographer.

I finally stopped staring at a stack of magazine clips that have been occupying a corner of my study desk and made copies of some of my published articles. While it certainly fun to see published photos, I'm enjoying writing more these days and find it rewarding to share techniques and experiences. The latest is a feature article in Digital Photographer on backpacking with cameras using ultralight techniques. It's on the stands now (February '07 issue). I've already had some email questions on the topic so I'll try get to some of those in posts soon. LIFE magazine published a nice three-page essay on black rodeo, a self-assigned project I began in 2004. Here's the cover (not my image) and the opening spread. Next up is a look at the realities of air travel for photographers and tactics to carry on all that gear. Yes, it's possible...stay tuned.

What better time to start posting than the beginning of the new year. 2006 has been a busy year and the fall has been a transition time for me. I'm becoming more interested in different methods of visual storytelling, particularly with video. In March, I'll be attending the Platypus Workshop in California to sharpen my skills and prepare from some mid-year projects. Check out www.digitaljournalist.org and stay tuned.

Meanwhile, developing the web presence has been a real learning experience. It started with a flurry of activity and was cobbled together from the digitized images I had on hand. Now that I've had a chance to revisit the archives, scan some older images and shoot some new ones, I'm looking forward to changing the content regularly. I'm excited about some of the pictures I'd bypassed and remain passionate about finding new things to photograph. Hopefully, the site will grow as my experiments in multimedia develop.

Thanks, too, to my friends at Olympus America and the Visionary family who remain a constant source of visual inspiration. Olympus manufactures the best cameras and glass, hands down. I love your products!


Best in '07.