Eric’s (Distant) Photographic Past

I began my journey with photography in grade school, after receiving my first camera as a gift from my mother in 1978 — a Minolta Hi-Matic G.

Later, as a freshman in high school, I gained acceptance into a college level photography course at the Corcoran School of Art, in Washington, D. C. Like other young photographers of my generation, I spent many hours in the darkroom developing my own film and making silver gelatin prints.

I studied photography at Rochester Institute of Technology. My degree, earned solidly in the era of film photography, was very technical. In addition to camera technique (small, medium, and large formats), as well photo science, I focused heavily on color theory and non-conventional imaging.

I interned at both The National Geographic Society and Eastman Kodak, making custom color print enlargements, as well as color reversal transparencies sized for print in National Geographic Magazine (how it was done back then). A highlight of this experience was working with original 35mm slides of Nat Geo and other accomplished photographers. For example, I printed the images for a story about Harold “Doc” Edgerton (pioneer of electronic strobe photography) for the October 1987 issue of National Geographic Magazine, entitled “The Man Who Made Time Stand Still.” And I printed the cover image for the September 1987 issue, entitled “Jade: Stone of Heaven.”

An Existential Crisis

I chose a career that, curiously, led away from professional photography. An interest in image processing and software development landed me at a crossroads. Choosing to follow my other creative passion, software development, I began my career as a software engineer. This path led, somewhat serendipitously, to an opportunity to create products for people who are blind — an existential challenge to my relationship with visual arts and photography.

Fast Forwarding to the Present

Today, as both a parent and software professional, I am focused on advocacy for people with disabilities. This experience informs my outlook on life, and it shapes my approach to photography. In practical terms, the daily routine of providing care for two adults with special needs (my sons), combined with my commitment to always carry a camera, impacts my shooting technique and choice of gear. At a much deeper level, it influences my perspective on the meaning and pursuit of art.

My most ambitious photography project is, ironically, not hosted on this website. I call it the Image Trust. It is an ongoing effort to document memories for my sons, both of whom have disabilities that will prevent them from curating such a collection later in life. While the images are mostly private, the concept is one that I believe is important for families with special needs children. You can read more about the Image Trust in my journal post about it. A nice side effect of this project was the publication of one of my images in USA Today, and two in Tahoe Quarterly magazine.

Truth be told, I’m a very different person today than the younger person described in the above paragraphs. The world has changed. I have changed. But my need to create has remained constant. Art provides a framework for understanding and coping with our messy world. And the discipline of making has provided me with a way to add my own bricks to the wall of humanity.