I’ve been on just about every side of the the photography business. Starting out as a high school kid in Long Island with a camera, I became a college kid in Ohio with an even bigger camera. I have been an intern, a staff photographer, and a freelancer. I’ve bought images from photographers, I’ve given assignments to photographers, and I’ve even sold images for photographers. I’ve been fascinated with photography, and drawn to the photo industry for as long as I can remember.

I’ve been fortunate to be part of many really talented teams – including the small group of web pioneers who built the first-ever website for the Chicago Tribune, the large and energetic crew who built the 2000 Sydney Olympics website for NBC, and a dedicated folks who built PhotoShelter.

Through the years, I’ve also learned how to build a business, market a brand, and use technology to help both.

I enjoy helping photographers come up with innovative ways to promote themselves, and their businesses. I like showing them how to highlight their differences — using their individuality, personal style and interests to carve out a place for themselves in the photo world.

In addition to photography, my other passion is tequila. Not getting drunk – but the aspects of tequila as a fine beverage. I moved to Mexico just so I could meet the people behind the industry, study under the master distillers, and follow my own personal interests.

I believe that life is short, and each person has a responsibility to enjoy themselves as much as possible while they can. If you’re not following your passions, chasing your dreams, and sometimes doing things that are a little bit “crazy,” when will you start? That’s what life is all about.

(The images on this page show me riding a bicycle in Poquott, Long Island (top) on the day I discovered photography; me on a boat in Port Jefferson Harbor (a very special place) with my cousins Peter and Michael; and me in Los Angeles sitting in as a test subject for a rock star photo portrait.)