Bio
Born and raised in New England, Central Florida has been George’s home for more than thirty years. Art was encouraged early on in school, at home and through Sunday afternoon trips to Art Museums. Eventually George picked up a camera and made it his medium of choice.
During High School there was an opportunity to attend school in Germany. George traveled in Europe with his camera recording the journey. These images produced his first major photography award from the Boston Globe Newspaper Company.
His professional career brought editorial work with organizations such as: The Springfield Union News, The Associated Press, The Chapel Hill News and The Gold Leaf Farmer. It was here that he was on the front lines for Breaking News, Sports and Feature Photography. George still maintains his press credentials and still works with news organizations and wire services. In 2017, he was sponsored for the Pulitzer for his work covering the tragic Pulse Nightclub Shootings in Central Florida. Working for DPA (Deutsche Presse Agentur), the German Press Agency, his images brought the tragedy and its impact on his adopted hometown to a worldwide audience. Much of his work and the press credentials he wore from these heartbreaking days in June 2016 resides in the permanent collection of the Orange County Regional History Museum for others to see, reflect on and learn from. A sound recording of his experience made with museum staff remains as well. In both 2022 and 2024, George's images were included in the "Pictures of the Year" for the news wire services.
A tremendous influence on his early work were the photographs of Ulrike Welsch and her book The World I love to See . Other photographers such as Henri Cartier Bresson, Alfred Eisenstadt, Carl Mydans, Margaret Bourke-White, Eddie Adams and Robert Capa, who once said: “If your photographs are not good enough, then you are not close enough”, completed that influence into his shooting style today.
Later work began to evolve into a drive for conservation of our wild spaces. Taking his inspiration from several landscape photographers, George is in the process of creating a Black & White body of work dedicated to the wilderness of Central Florida in hopes that through the medium of photography we all will be inspired to protect and preserve our natural resources.
I am often asked, “Why black and white?” For me it is simple - if you want to shoot fashion, shoot color. If it is emotion you are after, then shoot Black & White.
It captures the soul of the subject.
My work has appeared in exhibitions, publications and has received awards. At one point in my life I considered those accolades as the evidence of my success. Now teaching and lecturing about photography at various venues, I have begun to think differently. My success is no longer measured by the length of my resume, but rather by how I feel about the art that I create and the photographers I inspire. I believe that the best success is achieved internally, not externally.
While I do enjoy being published and having my work on display, seeing my students have their own successes and meeting people who appreciate my art, is the extra benefit of creating, but not success itself.
“My images are my qualifications, nothing else matters.”
An important factor setting his photography aside from others, especially now in the digital age, is the fact that there is no use of Photoshop or HDR. The images you see reflect what was actually there. The image is correct and accurate in the camera. Utilizing Photoshop or any of its techniques is not something that is unethical at all, as long as the viewer is made aware of the fact that the image has changed from photography to digital art. George utilizes only minimal digital tools in his work. Tools that closely align themselves with a traditional darkroom setting (such as sharpening, dodging and burning). In fact, George still uses a hand held light meter to determine proper exposure – a Weston Master II Model 735 from the late 1940’s!
George teaches beginner through advanced levels of photography for the Walt Disney World Resort and Harry P. Leu Gardens in Central FL and for several venues throughout Florida. His workshops take him as far West as South Dakota, where he teaches equine photography on an 11,000 acre preserve for wild horses. George also lectures for cruise lines and at Photography conventions about the various aspects and techniques in the medium.
George is one of less than fifty worldwide "Light Leaders" for Photoflex Lighting equipment, and writes both lessons and articles for Photoflex (a division of Promark Brands), a sponsor of his work. he is currently developing a series of books based on his writings, lectures and classes to help other photographers become more proficient behind the camera.
As a user of Singh-Ray Filters George has conducted webinars about infrared photography and written several articles them as well.
Photoflex and other sponsors of my work can be found on my "links" tab.
During High School there was an opportunity to attend school in Germany. George traveled in Europe with his camera recording the journey. These images produced his first major photography award from the Boston Globe Newspaper Company.
His professional career brought editorial work with organizations such as: The Springfield Union News, The Associated Press, The Chapel Hill News and The Gold Leaf Farmer. It was here that he was on the front lines for Breaking News, Sports and Feature Photography. George still maintains his press credentials and still works with news organizations and wire services. In 2017, he was sponsored for the Pulitzer for his work covering the tragic Pulse Nightclub Shootings in Central Florida. Working for DPA (Deutsche Presse Agentur), the German Press Agency, his images brought the tragedy and its impact on his adopted hometown to a worldwide audience. Much of his work and the press credentials he wore from these heartbreaking days in June 2016 resides in the permanent collection of the Orange County Regional History Museum for others to see, reflect on and learn from. A sound recording of his experience made with museum staff remains as well. In both 2022 and 2024, George's images were included in the "Pictures of the Year" for the news wire services.
A tremendous influence on his early work were the photographs of Ulrike Welsch and her book The World I love to See . Other photographers such as Henri Cartier Bresson, Alfred Eisenstadt, Carl Mydans, Margaret Bourke-White, Eddie Adams and Robert Capa, who once said: “If your photographs are not good enough, then you are not close enough”, completed that influence into his shooting style today.
Later work began to evolve into a drive for conservation of our wild spaces. Taking his inspiration from several landscape photographers, George is in the process of creating a Black & White body of work dedicated to the wilderness of Central Florida in hopes that through the medium of photography we all will be inspired to protect and preserve our natural resources.
I am often asked, “Why black and white?” For me it is simple - if you want to shoot fashion, shoot color. If it is emotion you are after, then shoot Black & White.
It captures the soul of the subject.
My work has appeared in exhibitions, publications and has received awards. At one point in my life I considered those accolades as the evidence of my success. Now teaching and lecturing about photography at various venues, I have begun to think differently. My success is no longer measured by the length of my resume, but rather by how I feel about the art that I create and the photographers I inspire. I believe that the best success is achieved internally, not externally.
While I do enjoy being published and having my work on display, seeing my students have their own successes and meeting people who appreciate my art, is the extra benefit of creating, but not success itself.
“My images are my qualifications, nothing else matters.”
An important factor setting his photography aside from others, especially now in the digital age, is the fact that there is no use of Photoshop or HDR. The images you see reflect what was actually there. The image is correct and accurate in the camera. Utilizing Photoshop or any of its techniques is not something that is unethical at all, as long as the viewer is made aware of the fact that the image has changed from photography to digital art. George utilizes only minimal digital tools in his work. Tools that closely align themselves with a traditional darkroom setting (such as sharpening, dodging and burning). In fact, George still uses a hand held light meter to determine proper exposure – a Weston Master II Model 735 from the late 1940’s!
George teaches beginner through advanced levels of photography for the Walt Disney World Resort and Harry P. Leu Gardens in Central FL and for several venues throughout Florida. His workshops take him as far West as South Dakota, where he teaches equine photography on an 11,000 acre preserve for wild horses. George also lectures for cruise lines and at Photography conventions about the various aspects and techniques in the medium.
George is one of less than fifty worldwide "Light Leaders" for Photoflex Lighting equipment, and writes both lessons and articles for Photoflex (a division of Promark Brands), a sponsor of his work. he is currently developing a series of books based on his writings, lectures and classes to help other photographers become more proficient behind the camera.
As a user of Singh-Ray Filters George has conducted webinars about infrared photography and written several articles them as well.
Photoflex and other sponsors of my work can be found on my "links" tab.
