Career Highlights

Register Documentary and Photographic Images

September 1990 to October 2023

For most of my professional career, either while working as the Director of Photographic Services for Furman University in Greenville, SC (from 1990 to 2007) and while teaching photography as a Clinical Professor at North Greenville University in Tigerville, SC (from 1994 to 1997) I managed a photography business as Principal Photographer for Register Documentary and Photographic Services.

It’s inception a nine-year career as a Contract Photojournalist for The Greenville News. I wandered into this position first because of my experience and professional relationship with Fred Rollison, their lead photographer and Greenville mainstay (fredrollison.com). From 1992, two years into my work with Furman University I was able to dovetail assignments for The Grenville News, largely during the evening hours and never at the expense of Furman’s calling. I photographed assigned and breaking news events across the news spectrum, used the newspaper facilities to process and print images and handled in the office duties as required. Having worked in newspaper and magazine photography for more than ten years it was an easy fit.

When Furman completed construction of their new Daniel Chapel on campus in 1994 I started to receiving inquires from alumni I’d met through the years about photographing their weddings there as many wanted to return to the campus for their ceremony. So, Mona, my wife and I began a cottage wedding photography business built around weddings on campus. It wasn’t long before we were traveling up and down the East Coast and to the Caribbean for Wedding Events.

From there we photographed a number of Lifestyle events and gatherings across the state and Southeast for The Riley Institute, Democratic and Republican debates along with many advertising adventures. Ultimately as the need for digital photography grew in the Real Estate Industry our services were required for a number of Real Estate Agencies in the Upstate and Beyond.

As the images posted here show the variety of events we’ve covered began in the late 1970s and continue to this day. My work at documenting life and living will continue as photography is not a career, it’s a calling.

Director of Photographic Services - Furman University, Greenville, SC

August 1990 to September 2007

It was never a long term goal to work in the collegiate environment. My mentor David Crosby (www,crosbystills.com) held the position while building up his photography studio Crosby Stills. At that time, in the late 1980s and early 1990s Furman University was a well regarding small university. There was no Internet, barely any email access and all photography was accomplished on film, in a variety of formats from 35mm, medium format and 4x5 field camera work. Film and processing made a big dent in our budget so while we never shied aware from photography when needed, like the Furman Chorus performing with the Boston Pops during their nationally-televised Fourth of July concert, there were still spans, especially in the summer months where the photographer was “on call.”

David was looking to spend all his time on Crosby Stills and I was looking for regular hours after spending nearly a decade working Swing Shift and late into the night. With a little luck, decent portfolio and having my mentor handy I got a crack at the job. While also moonlighting at the Greenville News I fell in with a group of seasoned shooters who would beta-test the latest in professional digital equipment that would become the norm in the next ten years. It astonishes many still in professional photography when I tell them by first Nikon digital camera costing $4300 produced a 2.1 megapixel image on 128 megabyte flash card (another $300) that held 90 .jpeg files.

With the rise of the Internet so was the need for images to post online and soon the university’s webpage became the go to source for marketing the school’s credentials. Every department was clamoring for its own webpage from Marketing to Development, Athletics to Music, Drama to Science and the Humanities. Managing the burgeoning image database, scheduling shoots, along with planning and execution of shoots turned a 30-hour a week job into 60 and more, with image turnaround in minutes instead of days or weeks. In time, I also ventured off to work for myself, leaving the position in the capable hands of Jeremy Fleming (www.jeremyfleming.com), and recent Furman grad and much younger than myself. Seventy-plus hours shooting a week is a young buck’s job.

Clinical Professor of Photography - North Greenville University, Tigerville, SC

March 1994 to May 1997

During the early months of 1994 I was approached by the Head of the Art Department at North Greenville, Dr. Jim Craft, about working as an adjunct, now called “clinical” professor teaching beginning and advanced photography during the Spring semester at the school. It would involve classroom lectures on the history of photography, practical applications of the craft, the functionality of photographic equipment both in the field and darkroom, critique of work, exams and grading. NGU was staring to establish itself as a four-year degreed college and as it was only 15 minutes from the Furman campus I was able to arrange classes two days a week for the during of the semester.

Putting myself back into the classroom was a revelation as I was now teaching what I had long infused in my work to the point I was taking refresher courses. I readily admit my own photography improved through the teaching of these courses. Many in the class took the courses as electives, thinking it would be fun and easy. The hands on aspect, especially in the darkroom was exotic to many. A few students shined way beyond my ability when I was just starting out. Others, well, college requires discipline and consistency. You’ve at least got to show up if you want to make a grade.

I developed life long friendships in my three years there. I would have stayed longer and maybe considered getting a terminal degree in the field in hopes of teaching fulltime. The curious thing about resume’, no matter long or short form, is you already now that. Having an influence on the younger folks, it was quite something.

Staff Photographer, Morris Communications - Athens & Augusta, GA

March 1986 to August 1990

Joining the photography staff of the Augusta Chronicle-Herald was my first opportunity working with with other photojournalist daily. My previous position with the Atlanta Journal - Constitution was located in their Athens, Georgia Bureau, which was a loose knit of writers and editors, leaving me the sole shooter. I have multiple opportunities to work with the main staff of the Atlanta papers. I was in awe of their confidence and quick thinking when on shoots. Many of the staff were just a few years older but it was clear their acumen was well honed.

The Staff at Augusta and ultimately when I made my return home to Athens we also gifted, driven and devoted to the profession. It was during my time at both newspapers that I experienced the hard deadlines and what was required to meet them. Helicopter flights to sporting events and spot news stories was a mainstay. Field training with the U.S. Rangers required a flight in the Chinook helicopter. And there were multiple trips with Morris Communications Flagship fleet, including the Queen Air, King Air, Sabreliner and Bell Jet Ranger. And later there was a trip in a restored World War II B17 Bomber. Throw in a quick flight in the Goodyear Blimp and I used to kid I’ve flown in everything except the Space Shuttle.

My time with these newspapers became my proving ground. I was able to cover the Masters Golf Tournament with a team of shooters and editors for a number of years. A major perk was being invited to play the course with local media and the volunteers who worked the grounds during the event. This traditionally was the day before the course closed for the Summer; presumably to repair it when we finished.

But it was my return to the Athens Banner-Herald where the “doings” at the University of Georgia prepared me for my career as the photographer for Furman University. One does not always know where the path leads, but staying the course afforded me more than a forty-year career as a photographer.

Bureau Photographer, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Athens, GA

August 1984 to March 1986

Photographic coverage of events at The University of Georgia, mainly Athletics, and news coverage throughout North Georgia. Specialized in location transmitting of images via use of UPI and AP field transmitters. Though larger the sole photographer for the bureau this was a real “teeth cutting” experience as I was allowed access to events and spot news situations that would have been a challenge for freelance stringers. In addition my association with the stable of talented shooters at AJC gave me insight into a profession where demand for quality was high an deadlines were tight. My time at the Bureau was invaluable.

Photographer and Image Manager, The Daily Citizen-News - Dalton, GA

May 1983 to August 1884

Brought on as the newspapers first fulltime photojournalist I covered events from serious accidents, murder trials, feature assignments, sporting events and other spot news. Suggested and created several photographic news stories along with managing film, processing and image selection from several freelance photographers. The variety of photo assignments garnered a cross section of imagery that still holds up thirty years later.

Photographer and Presentation Assistant, Agricultural and Environmental Communications, The University of Georgia - Athens, GA

February 1982 to March 1983

While studying for an ABJ degree in Agricultural Journalism I assisted in the Department of Communications for the School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. While photographing research and teaching in the field I also assisted in preparing slide presentations for professors, lecturers and administration.

I, along with five other graduates, was the first to receive degrees (ABJ) in Agricultural Journalism in March, 1983.