Very early photographers like Timothy O'Sullivan and Edward Curtis, whose photos helped establish national parks in the United States, were an inspiration to me. For one thing, they had it tough. They had to get their “film” (wet plates) to remote places. The resulting photos were grand. 

Jeff Wolin was my primary teacher while I was at Indiana University studying in their master photography program. At the time, he was shooting Indiana landscapes in and around the limestone quarries using his 8” by 10” field camera. I loved his work. He inspired me to invest in my own 8” by 10”.

I was living in the lower desert of California, a visually wonderful place.  Traveling back and forth to Indiana to complete my studies provided a perfect opportunity to shoot the national parks O'Sullivan and Curtis knew, as well as the lower desert.