Brief Bio on Bruce

I don’t know about you but I’m always curious about the sources of my information.

This page should help.

Educational & Training Highlights

  • Famous Photographers School, Westport, CT, correspondence course while in the Navy.

  • Brooks Institute School of Photography, Santa Barbara, CA. One of the 3 top schools of photography in the world at the time.

  • Colorado Christian University, Colorado Springs, CO, Bachelor of Arts degree

  • Bill MacIntosh Executive Portraiture Weekend Workshop

  • Dean Collins FineLight Workshop on Commercial Lighting for Studio and Location.

  • Numerous Kodak Seminars on Commercial and Illustration Photography & Lighting Techniques

  • Continuing education through books, convention classes, periodicals, YouTube, Google…. (Always voraciously curious!)

Our family…

once upon a time…

not too recent…

but decent self-portraiture IMHO.

My kid’s family…

once upon a time…

more recently.

Highlights of Experience

… for the truly curious  

  • As an Electricians Mate on the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Constellation, I realized that I had a natural talent and growing love for photography. I was going places and seeing things that few to none of my civilian friends and family would ever see, and wanted to use photographs to share my experiences with them. That was when I bought my first “real” camera, a state-of-the-art SLR, and enrolled in a photography correspondence course.

  • When I had only a couple of months left in my enlistment, I jumped at the opportunity to apprentice full-time with a civilian professional photographer. Assisting and watching Bob Walters – a tri-state professional print competition award winner, in the studio and at weddings – and absorbing everything he said and did, was an incredibly invaluable kick-start to my own career.

  • Photographed over 500  weddings. Though I no longer do those, those skills and disciplines translate into my work now.

  • Owned and operated a portrait studio in Colorado Springs. It was a dream come true. Was able to finally do some really awesome studio work! That experience, however, taught me the meaning of being careful what you wish for.

  • Served as Chief of Photographic Services, and led a crew of 3 other very skilled photographers, who needed no one to supervise them, for a US government contractor on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Held a secret clearance.

  • Sole photographer for the Strategic Defense Initiative (aka “Star Wars” Project) at the National Test Facility, Schriever AFB. Secret clearance. Occasionally tasked to photograph inside NORAD, Cheyenne Mtn., even after my contract expired.

  • Photo Acquisitions Manager, led and coordinated the activities of up to 7 assistants and photographers in major revisions for multiple publications at David C. Cook Publishing Co., Colorado Springs. 

  • Developed and taught workshops on the technical and artistic aspects of photography.

  • Moved from Colorado Springs, CO to Louisville, KY to be closer to and provide practical support my son and his growing family. Refocused business onto commercial and residential real estate photography.

Certifications

  • “Film Age” –  One of 1st ten in Colorado to earn Certified Professional Photographer through the Professional Photographers of America.

  • “Film Age” – Earned “Q” rating in General Commercial Photography in former program of PPA.

  • “Digital Age” – Earned CPP again. This time, I discovered, the PPA had raised the bar since my Film Age certification process. Much tougher!

  • FAA  Certified as Drone Pilot. Only FAA approved drone operators may legally fly and shoot commercially – or even donate services.

Sidebar

What is a Certified Professional Photographer and why should you care?

What the certifying agency, the PPA, says about it (click here).

Certification doesn’t mean a CPP is necessarily better than any other photographer. It does mean, however, that he or she is a dependable and competent choice for your needs because the vetting process ensures the certified photographer measures up to all professional standards, not just some, which includes ethics, technical and artistic, and is accountable to the certifying agency, the PPA.

The CPP must also earn an average of 5 CEUs per year to maintain certification.

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Special Recognition Highlights – (some, not all)

  • Film Age: Kodak Gallery Award for Photographic Excellence, at Professional Photographers of Colorado Annual Competition. It’s a crystal obelisk shown in the photo amidst the ribbons. Only one per year, per PPA affiliate organization, is awarded to an individual. Quite an honor!

  • Same competition as above, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards in Commercial category. 

IN OTHERS’ WORDS

(i.e. reviews)