Open Competition

Judge: Mike Davis

Bio: Looking at the weekly LIFE magazine was very important to me as a boy. I knew the names of the photographers and was especially attracted to any photograph credited “MAGNUM PHOTO”. Those photos and photographers became my main influence. At that time I didn’t pursue photography, I thought I was not up to the technical challenge or the monetary commitment. However even at that age I thought I could “see” and make photographs. The Beatles came along and I got involved with music playing in bands, which I still do, but still thought about photography hoping for a chance or reason to really get into photography. In 1979 I was working at Salt City Playhouse as the Director of Public Relations. You need photos to promote stage plays so…here’s the reason to buy a camera and finally take pictures. That was it. Photography was all I became interested in. The first theater photos I took and handed to the Herald-Journal entertainment editor were published in the next days paper and printed alongside a revue of the show. I was a photographer…a photojournalist!

In 1981 I was hired by the Syracuse New Times as the “Inquiring Photographer” – ask six people a question and take their photo. Soon I was elevated to staff photographer. I stayed at the New Times for 38 plus years until their closing in June 2019. Along the way I took well over 1000 cover photos and had at least 15,000 pictures published in the New Times. It was an honor and a privilege to have that job and I took every assignment seriously. Some of the photos I took were good, many not so but I always tried to do my best.

Although I’m not big on honors I have had a few. I was named the NYPA (New York Press Association) photographer of the year twice. I received a Light Works grant, which went a long way in validating what I did as a photographer. I was given the Syracuse Press Club “Professional Standards Award”. For my work in the New Times my photos received at least 30 other press club awards in various categories. In 2007 I was admitted into the SAMMYS (Syracuse Area Music Awards) Hall of Fame for my photographic coverage of the CNY music scene. I’ve had solo shows at the Everson Museum and at the Light Works gallery at SU.

I retired when the New Times closed nearly six years ago but I still do photo work as a production photographer for Syracuse Stage and the SU Drama Department. My personal photography in a “social/documentary” style (“street photography” has lost its true meaning in recent times) is very important to me and I continue to photograph as much as I can and hope to someday have this work published as a book. I still believe in the printed page.