I can't remember the first time I picked up a camera, but I was in high school when my dad gave me his old 35mm camera and I began taking photography seriously. My photography really took off when I began traveling the world in my college days. Back then, I used 35mm color slide film, to be followed by larger medium format transparency film.

The biggest change in my photo career came in 1995 when I began photographing nudes. I decided to do so in black & white, like the masters of the subject had done. I decided to develop my own film and print my photos myself in an old-fashioned darkroom (and I still do). In addition to fine art nudes, I continue to travel the world with my camera (Asia has become a favorite place the last few years), but now I do so with B&W film rather than color. I just get more satisfaction doing it all myself rather than having a lab or a machine do the work for me.

I believe this is important to being a complete artist. If an artist is someone who creates a work of art - a tangible, physical object in the case of photography, painting and sculpture - then a complete photographic artist is someone who not only captures the image with a camera but makes the final print, as well.

Some people have asked me why I have not switched to digital. The truth is, I do use digital technology to a certain extent. I now scan my negatives to make machine prints or inkjet prints to send to models and for publication. It is, indeed, more convenient than making each print by hand or even sending it out to a lab.

Even so, creating a work of art should not be about convenience. A work of art should be made by people - not by machines. I am committed to the creative process. When I make a print, I can hold up the final product and proudly say, "I made this!" I do not feel nearly the same sense of satisfaction holding something that's been spit out by a machine.

I invite people to look at my work here and on my own website under development, [link]. Thanks for your time.

Dave R