AlLittle background: I started shooting with a Brownie Instamatic and 120 B&W film about as far back as I can remember. I upgraded to a Yashica then Rollie twin lens reflex in Junior high school. I can remember developing film in a little silver can in the bathroom, and then setting up a darkroom to print some of the better shots. I then dabbled on and off for the next "several years" a little underwater work, aerial stuff while I was flying..but didn't really pick it back up until digital came out. I just couldn'y find the time and space with family to set up a darkroom etc. I truely love a good B&W and Ansel Adams has always been a favorite, the the works of Elliot Porter have always intrigued me.With the onset of photoshop and digital photography I have really focused back on developing high quality "Fine Art" photographs with a variety of subjects: from B&W landscapes to studio captured Orchids. I have taken several workshops with Vincent Versace and his philosophy of controlling the unconscious eye has been a major theme in my work ever since. I have been published in several different venues, Orchids magizine regularly and now several other journals.As for judging, I'm a student/probationary judge for the American Orchid society a six year training evolution for judging orchids and I find the similarities to judging photographs quite interesting. I find I'm not a by the book orthodox judge, I'll gladly break the rules for a good picture, and have had people comment about how I used the rule of thirds on a shot without realizing it until they mentioned it. Minor peaves: Sharpening and sharpening.... overdone it can simply ruin a picture.I'm looking forward to judging a Bowie again.