I got started in photography kind of by accident I was in a journalism program
accident I was in a journalism program
accident I was in a journalism program and got a camera and decided I’d take a
and got a camera and decided I’d take a
and got a camera and decided I’d take a class just to learn how to use the
class just to learn how to use the
class just to learn how to use the camera and two weeks later I changed my
camera and two weeks later I changed my
camera and two weeks later I changed my major my whole life I thought I’d be a
major my whole life I thought I’d be a
major my whole life I thought I’d be a writer and and there was something about
writer and and there was something about
writer and and there was something about being in that class going into a dark
being in that class going into a dark
being in that class going into a dark room watching you know being that kind
room watching you know being that kind
room watching you know being that kind of dark wonderful place watching images
of dark wonderful place watching images
of dark wonderful place watching images come up that touched me and I realized
come up that touched me and I realized
come up that touched me and I realized that’s that’s what I wanted to do the
that’s that’s what I wanted to do the
that’s that’s what I wanted to do the first camera I had was a Canon FTB and I
first camera I had was a Canon FTB and I
first camera I had was a Canon FTB and I had been dating a guy who was a
had been dating a guy who was a
had been dating a guy who was a photographer in the Navy and I had some
photographer in the Navy and I had some
photographer in the Navy and I had some money and he picked up that camera for
money and he picked up that camera for
money and he picked up that camera for me when he was over in Japan at that
me when he was over in Japan at that
me when he was over in Japan at that time you know you could get your cameras
time you know you could get your cameras
time you know you could get your cameras much more cheaply if you actually went
much more cheaply if you actually went
much more cheaply if you actually went to Japan so he brought it back and I
to Japan so he brought it back and I
to Japan so he brought it back and I took a class to learn how to use it in
took a class to learn how to use it in
took a class to learn how to use it in voilá
Bob Kalka was the legendary and beloved
Bob Kalka was the legendary and beloved and visionary director of photography
and visionary director of photography
and visionary director of photography for National Geographic for about thirty
for National Geographic for about thirty
for National Geographic for about thirty five years I was in the darkroom of this
five years I was in the darkroom of this
five years I was in the darkroom of this little paper in southern Minnesota and
little paper in southern Minnesota and
little paper in southern Minnesota and mr. gillich I knew that it was a great
mr. gillich I knew that it was a great
mr. gillich I knew that it was a great paper and in those days he was very
paper and in those days he was very
paper and in those days he was very hands-on he knew what his editors were
hands-on he knew what his editors were
hands-on he knew what his editors were looking for and they were looking for a
looking for and they were looking for a
looking for and they were looking for a really strong hale picture so when he
really strong hale picture so when he
really strong hale picture so when he read that there’d been a devastating
read that there’d been a devastating
read that there’d been a devastating hailstorm in that area he just picked up
hailstorm in that area he just picked up
hailstorm in that area he just picked up the phone called the paper I was in the
the phone called the paper I was in the
the phone called the paper I was in the darkroom I answered the call and said
darkroom I answered the call and said
darkroom I answered the call and said yes sir I can go get a picture of that
yes sir I can go get a picture of that
yes sir I can go get a picture of that for you and that was the first picture I
for you and that was the first picture I
for you and that was the first picture I ever had published in National
ever had published in National
ever had published in National Geographic and it’s so funny because I
Geographic and it’s so funny because I
Geographic and it’s so funny because I had not seen that picture in over 30
had not seen that picture in over 30
had not seen that picture in over 30 years
years
years until last week and they found it in the
until last week and they found it in the
until last week and they found it in the archive and sent it to me
archive and sent it to me
archive and sent it to me and it wasn’t too bad it was pretty good
and it wasn’t too bad it was pretty good
and it wasn’t too bad it was pretty good picture in my career I’ve been fortunate
picture in my career I’ve been fortunate
picture in my career I’ve been fortunate enough to work for many different
enough to work for many different
enough to work for many different publications and and different kinds of
publications and and different kinds of
publications and and different kinds of projects and assignments but the the
projects and assignments but the the
projects and assignments but the the constant thread through my life has been
constant thread through my life has been
constant thread through my life has been National Geographic it’s it’s been my my
National Geographic it’s it’s been my my
National Geographic it’s it’s been my my you know my home for 30 years now and
you know my home for 30 years now and
you know my home for 30 years now and and I feel lucky that in addition to
and I feel lucky that in addition to
and I feel lucky that in addition to just taking pictures I’ve been able to
just taking pictures I’ve been able to
just taking pictures I’ve been able to do projects with the geographic and
do projects with the geographic and
do projects with the geographic and exhibits books articles just so many
exhibits books articles just so many
exhibits books articles just so many different things work with the kids
different things work with the kids
different things work with the kids magazine and the outreach programs it’s
magazine and the outreach programs it’s
magazine and the outreach programs it’s just been fantastic
our kids have traveled to every
our kids have traveled to every continent except Antarctica more
continent except Antarctica more
continent except Antarctica more importantly when we travel they’ve lived
importantly when we travel they’ve lived
importantly when we travel they’ve lived in communities we never stayed in hotels
in communities we never stayed in hotels
in communities we never stayed in hotels and so they were always in little
and so they were always in little
and so they were always in little communities where they were hanging out
communities where they were hanging out
communities where they were hanging out with kids and sometimes they had
with kids and sometimes they had
with kids and sometimes they had language in common and many times they
language in common and many times they
language in common and many times they did not and they’ve learned how to have
did not and they’ve learned how to have
did not and they’ve learned how to have fun the way those kids had fun and
fun the way those kids had fun and
fun the way those kids had fun and they’re very confident travelers our
they’re very confident travelers our
they’re very confident travelers our daughter you know has she’s 18 now and
daughter you know has she’s 18 now and
daughter you know has she’s 18 now and she has no problem hopping on a plane
she has no problem hopping on a plane
she has no problem hopping on a plane and going overseas and it is not a
and going overseas and it is not a
and going overseas and it is not a stressful thing for her she really is
stressful thing for her she really is
stressful thing for her she really is excited about it and and remembers all
excited about it and and remembers all
excited about it and and remembers all of our trips with you know enthusiasm
of our trips with you know enthusiasm
of our trips with you know enthusiasm and memory great memories so and I think
and memory great memories so and I think
and memory great memories so and I think they also are kids I think I kids also
they also are kids I think I kids also
they also are kids I think I kids also understand that people all over the
understand that people all over the
understand that people all over the world are different that you don’t
world are different that you don’t
world are different that you don’t assume that that they are going to be
assume that that they are going to be
assume that that they are going to be the same as we are but that if you go
the same as we are but that if you go
the same as we are but that if you go into each culture open and and look
into each culture open and and look
into each culture open and and look people in the eye and observe and listen
people in the eye and observe and listen
people in the eye and observe and listen you’re going to make connections that
you’re going to make connections that
you’re going to make connections that are well beyond what most travelers get
are well beyond what most travelers get
are well beyond what most travelers get to see and I think what I’ve learned
to see and I think what I’ve learned
to see and I think what I’ve learned from my kids is how delightful
from my kids is how delightful
from my kids is how delightful flexibility is and how naturally
flexibility is and how naturally
flexibility is and how naturally flexible most kids are as long as
flexible most kids are as long as
flexible most kids are as long as they’ve got the basics you know food and
they’ve got the basics you know food and
they’ve got the basics you know food and sleep and little something to keep them
sleep and little something to keep them
sleep and little something to keep them entertained they pretty much can set up
entertained they pretty much can set up
entertained they pretty much can set up camp anywhere
almost everything’s been photographed
almost everything’s been photographed and so the real challenge for a
and so the real challenge for a
and so the real challenge for a photographer is to bring her or his own
photographer is to bring her or his own
photographer is to bring her or his own unique vision to that subject matter and
unique vision to that subject matter and
unique vision to that subject matter and in the case of the work that I do on
in the case of the work that I do on
in the case of the work that I do on assignment is primarily telling a story
assignment is primarily telling a story
assignment is primarily telling a story that is compelling enough where you know
that is compelling enough where you know
that is compelling enough where you know the photograph is compelling enough to
the photograph is compelling enough to
the photograph is compelling enough to get people interested in reading the
get people interested in reading the
get people interested in reading the captions or what’s going on and
captions or what’s going on and
captions or what’s going on and hopefully that will lead them into a
hopefully that will lead them into a
hopefully that will lead them into a more in-depth written piece it’s a it’s
more in-depth written piece it’s a it’s
more in-depth written piece it’s a it’s a wonderful terrible job because you get
a wonderful terrible job because you get
a wonderful terrible job because you get this opportunity to go out and do it but
this opportunity to go out and do it but
this opportunity to go out and do it but then you’re supposed to do it better
then you’re supposed to do it better
then you’re supposed to do it better than it’s ever been done before and and
than it’s ever been done before and and
than it’s ever been done before and and that’s the only way I’ve worked I’m
that’s the only way I’ve worked I’m
that’s the only way I’ve worked I’m going to work that way for so many years
going to work that way for so many years
going to work that way for so many years that I don’t even think about it anymore
that I don’t even think about it anymore
that I don’t even think about it anymore except that I definitely get panicked at
except that I definitely get panicked at
except that I definitely get panicked at the beginning of every project because I
the beginning of every project because I
the beginning of every project because I figured this is the one where I’m going
figured this is the one where I’m going
figured this is the one where I’m going to bomb this is the one where I’m I’m
to bomb this is the one where I’m I’m
to bomb this is the one where I’m I’m going to fall on my face and I think
going to fall on my face and I think
going to fall on my face and I think that’s that’s out of respect for my
that’s that’s out of respect for my
that’s that’s out of respect for my colleagues that’s out of a deep
colleagues that’s out of a deep
colleagues that’s out of a deep knowledge of how talented my colleagues
knowledge of how talented my colleagues
knowledge of how talented my colleagues are and how hard they work so it turns
are and how hard they work so it turns
are and how hard they work so it turns you into your own worst boss you end up
you into your own worst boss you end up
you into your own worst boss you end up pushing yourself harder than any any
pushing yourself harder than any any
pushing yourself harder than any any boss you have ever had because you want
boss you have ever had because you want
boss you have ever had because you want to bring back exactly what you’ve been
to bring back exactly what you’ve been
to bring back exactly what you’ve been sent for
what what traveling has taught me is
what what traveling has taught me is that once you you know you step into
that once you you know you step into
that once you you know you step into another culture and you allow yourself
another culture and you allow yourself
another culture and you allow yourself to really immerse yourself in another
to really immerse yourself in another
to really immerse yourself in another culture and be available to them
culture and be available to them
culture and be available to them communication happens very quickly and
communication happens very quickly and
communication happens very quickly and it doesn’t require perfect language
it doesn’t require perfect language
it doesn’t require perfect language skills
skills
skills it doesn’t require introductions it
it doesn’t require introductions it
it doesn’t require introductions it really it’s really something that
really it’s really something that
really it’s really something that happens when you you are your honest
happens when you you are your honest
happens when you you are your honest self when you recognize that you’re a
self when you recognize that you’re a
self when you recognize that you’re a guest in another culture and that you
guest in another culture and that you
guest in another culture and that you really need to listen to people on a
really need to listen to people on a
really need to listen to people on a different level and abide by their way
different level and abide by their way
different level and abide by their way of doing things that’s the best part of
of doing things that’s the best part of
of doing things that’s the best part of travel for me in fact it’s kind of
travel for me in fact it’s kind of
travel for me in fact it’s kind of spoiled regular travel for me because
spoiled regular travel for me because
spoiled regular travel for me because the camera it has always given me an
the camera it has always given me an
the camera it has always given me an opportunity to walk up to people and
opportunity to walk up to people and
opportunity to walk up to people and spend time with them and even go home
spend time with them and even go home
spend time with them and even go home with them
I think one of the most inspirational
I think one of the most inspirational parts of about photography is that
parts of about photography is that
parts of about photography is that you’re you’re never done you’re always
you’re you’re never done you’re always
you’re you’re never done you’re always growing and when you travel you’re
growing and when you travel you’re
growing and when you travel you’re always learning so to have a career
always learning so to have a career
always learning so to have a career where I’m I get to be creative I’m
where I’m I get to be creative I’m
where I’m I get to be creative I’m immersed in really interesting
immersed in really interesting
immersed in really interesting situations and I continue to grow
situations and I continue to grow
situations and I continue to grow artistically what’s better than that
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