From the Tuareg of the Sahara to the snake
charmers of Marrakech, North Africa continues
to grip me in its spell.

I am fascinated with Egypt. People marvel at
the tumbled ruins of Rome and Greece but in
Egypt, temples which are centuries older are
still standing intact.

The blue ribbon of the Nile beckons to all. A
cruise down its magical waters is like entering
a time machine. But for all the treasures that
have been unearthed, archeologists estimate
that at least 50% still lie buried beneath the
shifting sands.
 

I never tire of Europe with its splendid
castles, gourmet dining and fine wines.
From the Norwegian fjords to the Italian
Riviera, one could easily spend a lifetime
exploring nooks and crannies that lie off
the beaten path.

I have executed several assignments for
the French Government Tourist Office and
each trip has brought new appreciation for
just how much beauty and history can be
compressed into so small an area. 

The Paris Lights, the Beaches at Normandy,
Provence Perfumes, the Champagne Cellars
of Reims, and the taste of rabbit from the
Woods of the Loire: It is an assault on all the
senses. I am spoiled rotten whenever France
beckons.
 

 
 I have also wandered the Caribbean and
the "Land Down Under" ... a never-ending
supply of colorful images - tropical breezes,
gorgeous sunsets, warm sands and the
fascinating world beneath the sea. One of
my great ambitions was to witness the
eruption of a live volcano. This fantasy
became a reality in 1988 when I arrived
in Hawaii just in time to see Kilauea loose
its awesome power. It remains the most
humbling natural event I have ever seen.

 
From the mid-70's to the mid-80's, I did a lot of industrial photography, primarily in the Middle
East. The Shah still ruled Iran, Saddam wasn't yet a threat, Israel occupied the Sinai and Anwar
Saddat enjoyed immense popularity. Mega-construction projects were underway throughout the
region - from super-highways and skyscrapers to enormous mobile construction camps and the
continuing expansion of the petroleum infrastructure. Since most of these areas were off limits to
tourists, the opportunity to experience the modernization of Arabia first-hand was unparalleled.
Unlike most foreign workers, as a roaming
photographer I had the mobility and freedom
to wander further afield.

In Iraq I saw the archeological remains of the
"Hanging Gardens" of Babylon. In Iran I saw
carpets woven of pure gold with silk designs.
In Kuwait I wandered the Gold Souk and went
sailing on ancient dhows. In Saudi Arabia I
attended a Bedouin wedding in the desert
and I smoked hookahs in the teahouses.
 
One moment time seemed to stand
still, while the next was a hive of activity.
With aerial photography strictly regulated
by the military, it was a rare privilege to
fly in a helicopter over the Persian Gulf
and see eight supertankers loading their
precious cargoes. Everywhere, pipelines
snake their way through the sand, with
plumes of fire roaring from the infernos
of flare stacks burning off natural gas at
the wellheads.