As an elementary school student in the 1960s and 70s, Birmingham, AL, I loved reading comic books and pulp fiction novels. However, there were hardly any black people in these books. So I drew and wrote my own comics with black characters I created, and shared them with friends. This is how my lifelong obsession with storytelling began.

My growing love for the guitar and music in high school further inspired my storytelling through songs. However, in 1980, while working at UPS, I purchased my first 35mm camera from a coworker and immediately became fascinated with the ability to convey ideas visually through photography.

My initial interest was in black-and-white portraiture, but I also explored sports, concert, and landscape photography. As I improved, I was frequently hired by local artists who needed photos for album artwork or promotional images for their press kits. Most of these sessions I did free of charge to help musicians in the community and build my portfolio. Long before it was common, I also experimented often with self-photography.

Even as music began to consume most of my time with travel and performing, I still found time to take pictures. When digital photography became popular, I purchased a couple of cameras, but it wasn't until 2020 that I fully began to reconnect  with photography. Encouraged by my wife, Tomiko, who was already an accomplished professional photographer, we both enrolled in the Samford University Academy of the Arts photography program in Birmingham, AL, and graduated in 2025.

My journey as a storyteller continues, capturing moments through pictures.