I guess I love over the shoulder shots too much because that is my 6-year-old son Matthew over my shoulder in the picture.
As I look over the shoulder of my life to figure out what you want to know about me, and how I came to be the Co-Director of The NPPA TV NewsVideo Workshop since 1993.
It all started back in 1987 when I was sitting in the Forum, I had a borrowed RCA TK 76 camera and an old ¾” deck. That week in March changed my life in ways I still live out today not only as a storyteller, but as a person. Darrell Barton and the other faculty cut me down to size, teaching me all I know about being a storyteller.
Since high school (I graduated in 1981) I have worked all over the country, here are the call letters: WCGV, WSUP, KDUB, WISN, WPTV, KVEA, WSET, WTVD, NC-8, WPHL, WRAL, WTXF, KSTP, KIMT, WGCL and KWGN. In between I have earned close to 90 awards from Emmys, NPPA, NBNA, AP, SPJ and then some. I believe that you are only as good as your next story, that is why the 2 awards that matter to me are the 2 citations I received from the NPPA on teaching and giving back to the industry.
I’ve been involved in the NPPA for quite a while, not only as your Workshop Co-Director but I was the NPPA TV Critique guy for 9 years, produced the video on live truck safety called “Look Up And Live” and currently write a column for News Photographer magazine called “Gain Is Good.”
When I’m not playing Photojournalist or working on other projects I am first and foremost father to the little boy in the picture, Matthew, whom I do it all for.