About my photography
Image Me photographing a deer with a Nikon D300 and 70 - 300mm VR lens. Image photographed by Gary London 2008 using my Nikon D70.
General background Information
VERY SHORT BIO:
I was born and raised in the Goodsprings community which is located between Etowah and Athens, TN. I graduated from McMinn Central High School in 1967 then served 4 years in the Navy.
After my military service I graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan College in 1975 with a degree in Accounting.
I served as a Special Agent (Criminal Investigator) with the U. S. Customs Service, Office of Investigations until I retired and moved back to McMinn County in 2000. I worked cases involving smuggling of illegal products into the United States including narcotics, unsafe consumer and industrial products, and various types of fraud cases.
Since retirement I have settled back into being a citizen of McMinn County. I have built a home on the old family farm. It is unusual in that it is of timberframe (post and beam) construction. I also constructed a studio area for photography.
My love wildlife photography.
My Study of Photography:
I started studying photography in about 1960 when my parents gave me a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye for my birthday. My aunt gave me a bulb flash unit for it the next year. From that point I was hooked and have spent a lifetime perfecting my craft.
In about 1971, while in the Navy, I became serious about photography during a cruise to Europe. I then purchased my first professional level camera. I took a photography course aboard ship offered for those interested in improving their skills.
After my military service was complete I took some photography courses in college and at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. In addition, I have taken many courses about studio, wedding and nature photography.
Part of my training and duties as a Special Agent with U.S. Customs, Office of Investigations, involved using high end SLR 35mm cameras for surveillance, photographing crime scenes, documenting evidence, and other support for investigations. I also conducted some basic photography classes in order to train other Special Agents.
During the years I served as a Special Agent I also did part-time work photographing weddings to learn the skills. I also did portraits for various country music magazines in Nashville and studio portraits for entertainer's portfolios.
My prior photographic experience includes:
a) portraits published in various Country music magazines in Nashville
b) photo shoots that were published on the web for clothing sales
c) Weddings
d) Evidence documentation photography
e) Event photography for businesses
g) Landscape and Real Estate
i) Sporting events
I have a passion for photographing barns in our area before they all disappear. If you know of a great old barn that you'd like to be preserved in photographs please contact me. I hope to have a collection of images of area barns for the future.
Today
Today, I primarily photograph with
Professional quality Nikon single lens reflex digital cameras that
are well suited to wedding photography. Digital cameras
provide a rapid and effective means of photographing events. On rare occasions I still use film cameras
(35mm or medium format) but generally I find that digital cameras
serve the clients needs better because of speed, portability
and cost. Today's high end digital cameras offer a quality
only dreamed of a few years ago.
wedding photography - event photography - nature - Athens and Etowah, Tennessee