Eugene Cernan, one of the few humans to set foot on the moon, said: “Curiosity is the essence of human existence and exploration has been part of humankind for a long time.”
Cernan also said: “It’s our destiny to explore.”
Astronaut Frank Borman said: “Exploration really is the essence of the human spirit, and to pause, to falter, to turn our back on the quest for knowledge, is to perish.”
I’ve always seen myself as an explorer. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of exploration ... studying explorers in history class ... following space missions as closely as some follow baseball and football teams ... and biking off to “discover” new neighborhoods in the city where I grew up.
My love of adventure led to the defining experience of my life at age 17. I applied to become an exchange student, and lived with a native Chamorro family on a tropical Pacific island ... in a chain first visited by explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
I was on an island that had seen one of the bloodiest WWII battles in the Pacific theater … and within sight of the neighboring island, where the atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were launched.
In addition to exploring, the experience fully awakened my drive to tell stories about where I’d been, what I’d seen and experienced. I saw then that I was destined to be a journalist ... a storyteller.
I got a journalism degree, followed by more than two decades at daily newspapers ... reporter, writer, and editor. In 2001, I left that business, but still see myself as a journalist – and explorer.
Over my newspaper career, I learned a bit about photography … shot various subjects, even though that wasn’t my primary role. I also learned about photos working as an editor and page designer. Developing an eye for photo composition and editing. I’ve had opportunities to work with and observe some truly gifted news photographers -- guys like Roger Turner, Joseph Jackson III, Steve Apps, John Maniaci, and Craig Schreiner at the Wisconsin State Journal.
I applied what I learned in taking photos of family and of my travels, got some nice landscape shots that were good enough to use as gifts.
In my development into a photo artist, I want to mention two more pieces of the puzzle.
In 2002, I started my study and practice of taiji quan (tai chi), which includes meditation. As such, I’ve become fascinated by the simple, yet complex concept of mindfulness – best described as “being fully aware in the present moment.” My approach to photography is very much rooted in mindfulness.
A few years ago, I got my first Canon digital camera, which enabled me to take more photos and — more importantly — interact with the images on the computer. I’ve done a bit of darkroom work, processing and printing, but I am a digital photographer.
These pieces came together most notably during a couple of photo shoots in November 2007 along Starkweather Creek, on Madison's North Side. The positive reaction to my photos gave me the courage to explore the possibility of doing a photo show — Starkweather: Autumn Reflections.
That’s my journey thus far in a nutshell … explorer … journalist … photographer.
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