My grandfather Harry E. Smith is the inspiration for my interest in photography. His old 35 mm Pentax film camera was his brush and his canvas, beautiful East Texas. Grandpa worked magic with his understanding of light and composition. Many family gatherings were spent around his slide shows. Visual stimuli enhance senses while reminiscing of hiking, hunting and fishing trips with friends and family.

In my early years of establishing a career and family, I was ill-equipped with only a small point-and-shoot film camera. A decade later I was inspired by the birth of my first daughter and purchased my first digital SLR , the Nikon D100. "No excuses," I thought. Yet again, my point-and-shoot mentality fulfilled my documentary needs.

As eluded to above, I have a passion for the outdoors, particularly hunting. I find sanctuary in observing nature and wildlife which spawns memories of outdoor activities with my family and friends. Over the last 20 years, hunting has become more representative of these bonds than the acquisition of game.

It is a challenge not to just photograph my subject , but to express mood/feeling by control of composition and light. This is a lifetime learning process, one that gets easier and more exciting with experience. I am a novice and know my photography skills will continue to improve with sweat equity and experience. I now find myself hunting for a variety of photographic opportunities, often many of these right in my own backyard. My wife teases me that I have cleverly found a way to "hunt " 365 days a year.

Many hours have gone into the material on my site. Thanks for the opportunity to share my work with you. I believe each of us is the sum of his or her life experiences. I am eternally grateful to GOD for my upbringing and for the positive influences of my friends and family on my life. I am truly blessed. Thanks also to my patient and caring wife Wendy. You inspire me in more ways than you'll ever know.

My pursuit of wildlife and landscape photography is not only for my personal satisfaction of the animal encounter, or finding the "perfect" light, but also the hope that my work will inspire thankfulness to GOD for his marvelous creation.

Special thanks to Doyne Dodd, Michael Baxley, and Paul Caldwell for all of the inspiration and mentoring. Three wonderful photographers that truly have blessed my photography pursuit and passion. Also thanks to the talented John Hatley for the original music for my site. Thank you all. GOD Bless!