Photographing flowers isn't one of my main interests, but sometimes I find one that inspires me to photograph it.

Flower photography did play an interesting role in my early years. When I was 15 years old, I entered a flower photography contest at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I won first prize, which was a gift certificate from McJon Photo, a local camera store. I used it to buy my first professional-level tripod, am Italian-made Manfrotto tripod. I still use that tripod today, 28 years later!