The following FAQ was written in October 1998
for an early edition of this website.

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Is your work published in any books?

No. I have never pursued publishers, and have never been
approached by one.  Fortunately, the Internet offers an
alternative means of publication.


Is your work shown in any galleries?

No. I have not pursued galleries either. However, this website 
is seen by about 2000 people a day, from over 60 countries. 

It takes a great deal of time and energy to make the personal 
connections necessary to acquire representation and publication.  

We all would like to think that if someone is doing something well,
recognition will come his or her way.  Not true at all.  An artist seeking 
fame and fortune today needs marketing, promotion, advertising, 
and public relations efforts just like any other media personality.

If, however, the artist is more interested in showing his or her work,
and connecting with people who understand the meaning of the work,
then times are changing.  Many visual artists have had great success 
showing and selling their work on the Internet.  

More and more people buy art directly from artists.  Many people no longer 
need a gallery salesperson to tell them what they are supposed to like.


Do you ever have workshops that photographers can come to?

No.  People do ask this often, but I have never even thought about it.
I don't think I have the temperament or the personality to play the role
of teacher. I also think that beyond the basic techniques of any medium, 
artists are better off finding their own direction. Teacher/student situations 
tend to breed imitation and dependence on having "assignments."

One can grow from imitation into independent expression, but the most
important attribute every artist must acquire is self-motivation. We must
first give ourselves permission to be artists, and then overcome all the 
self-imposed obstacles we place in our way.


Why do you do this type of work?

The simple answer is that this is the work I love to do. Who wouldn't 
want to spend a day shooting beautiful pictures of a beautiful woman? 
The truth is, of course, shooting the photographs is a very small part 
of the process. For every hour spent shooting, there are endless hours 
involved in producing the final prints and web page images.

As with any form of art, my work has moved through many stages of 
development. This has been very true of my nude photography over 
the years. The progression of thought and approach is evident.





I think most fine art photographers who shoot nudes, myself included,
are so concerned that their work not be confused with pornography 
that they go to great lengths to keep out any type of sexual overtones.
I did that for several years, but found the limitations were too strict 
to maintain any artistic integrity. It would be hypocritical to present 
the beautiful women I shoot in a completely non-sexual image, 
simply to pacify those who are fearful of a stimulated libido.

There has always been controversy surrounding eroticism in the arts, 
and it will continue with us well into the new century. Very few people 
have any contact with the legitimate arts community, and therefore 
receive much of their emotional and intellectual stimuli from some type 
of mass market commercial entertainment medium. On this basis, 
they form their opinions of the world and the people around them. 

The mass media, whether presenting its programming as news, 
educational material, or family entertainment, relies on a sensationalized 
presentation of any subject matter. In the area of human sexuality, 
the message seems to vacillate between completely irresponsible exploitation, 
and the opposite extreme of rigid, ominous warnings. They are in business 
to sell advertising and a moderate, balanced viewpoint would not help
them achieve that goal.





During this time of media hysteria, we need images and ideas from all 
the artistic disciplines which convey a sense of sanity concerning sexuality, 
and respect for human nature. There are artists, writers, and musicians 
throughout the world working to remind mankind that our basic nature 
transcends all boundaries, and that if we can look beyond our native 
belief system, whether cultural, political, or religious, we will find ourselves 
all reflected in each other's faces. 

Will a small group of artists save the world? Of course not, 
but they might influence a few individuals to see the people 
around them, and themselves, in a new light.

It is interesting to recognize that while we see ourselves as being 
quite different the world over, our DNA structures are essentially identical.
A man and a woman from entirely different parts of the planet can mate 
successfully. Our sexual natures and desires are completely compatible. 
It is a curious observation that this fundamental essence of every human 
being is cause for so much alarm and concern. 


Why don't you photograph men?

I have no interest at all in shooting pictures of nude men. Many fine art 
photographers do work with male nudes and produce excellent images. 

Fortunately, political correctness has not yet taken hold of the fine art 
world, making it mandatory that every artist produce an equal number 
of male and female images every time he or she produces work. I am 
sure there are those who would have it that way, but as yet, an artist 
may still produce images of the gender he or she prefers. 

In addition to my own preference, I have found that not only men, 
but an overwhelming number of women prefer female nudes. 
Whether being perceived as an image of beauty or sexuality, 
the female form is almost always chosen. 

How do you classify this type of photography?

My photography has nothing to do with "figure studies" or some 
"celebration of the human spirit."   I really have no interest in
showing "the beauty of line and form." 

The human body has no value other than as a means of communication. 
Much of that communication is visual. In my opinion, the work you see 
here is symbolic of emotional interaction. These photographs are an 
expression of non-verbal communication. Certainly the majority of sexual 
communication is non-verbal. A great deal of it is visual, so photography
quickly becomes an ideal medium for producing high quality erotic fine art.

I hope that my work serves as an avenue of communication and healing. 
We now have young adults whose entire lives have been filled with dire 
warnings about the deadly consequences of sexual contact. Well intentioned 
though this caution might have been, we find ourselves with yet another 
generation of young people suppressing natural sexual emotions, no doubt 
bringing onto themselves all the disturbing psychological consequences 
so common to past generations.





We also have many young women today who have been cast into lives 
of confusion. Their inner desires and instincts draw them in one direction; 
the angry demands of an intellectual feminist minority have pulled them 
in the opposite direction. Rather than giving women the freedom to choose 
a personally balanced path, the contradictions often bring guilt and 
emotional paralysis. 

Many women have told me that they perceive images of feminine strength 
and freedom in my photography. They have talked about the idea that freedom
of self-expression, particularly sexual self-expression, should be fundamental
to any list of "women's rights." Many of the models I have worked with have
voiced their discovery that nude modeling was more about making a personal 
affirmation of self-esteem than becoming a sexual object for men's fantasies,
although several of them found no conflict between the two. 





Regardless of the circumstances of any particular viewer, I would offer
the reminder that the motivation of an artist should be irrelevant to the 
perceived content of any piece of art. The emotional response within the 
viewer determines the value of the image. Smile and walk away from those 
who would explain, "What the artist is trying to say . . ." 

Even when words come directly from an artist, as do these, honor 
your own interpretation of what you see. Works of art can, and should, 
take on a life of their own, becoming completely free of, and much 
larger than, the person who created them.

Where do you find models?

The truth is, at this point in my career, models usually find me. 
There are lots of women who are eager to model for high quality
nude photography. There are, unfortunately, very few photographers 
producing high quality work. 

I have been photographing some of these women for years, but I try 
to work with as many new people as I can. Often, the new people
I photograph are friends of models I have worked with previously.
Other times, they have seen my work somewhere. One way or another, 
women interested in modeling seem to get in contact with me, often
these days through e-mail.

Who are your models?

Actually, none of them are professional models. All of them are real people 
with real lives. (Not that professional models aren't real people, too.)
Nude modeling is one of those things that so many women think about, 
but never pursue. I think it is accurate to say that all those I have worked 
with have been very happy with the pictures and the entire experience. 





My work is effective primarily because human beings respond to visual 
images of other human beings, something I have nothing to do with. 
Beyond that, I obviously cannot take credit for the beauty of my models. 
Therefore, it is best that photographers receive praise with humility, 
knowing that our work merely provides a visual conduit from model to viewer.

What kind of camera and film do you use?

Unfortunately, I am asked this question quite often.  Many people have the 
misunderstanding that cameras and film are important elements of photography.

What difference would it make if I said Nikon and Kodak, or Canon and Fuji, 
or Hasselblad and Agfa? There are many good cameras and film on the
market today.  Use whatever you like. 

Technical details are an easy distraction from the real work to be done.
Fine art photography should be a form of visual literature. One must 
master the technique, then leave it behind and take on the challenge 
of producing works of art.

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