While in Iraq, I met this man who looked a little war-torn. He was kind enough to stop and let me snap a photo. Despite what many think, he is an expat and not an Iraqi.

Throughout Baghdad, amongst the various icons of Saddam Hussein, scribbled over his image you would find the words “A-Team”. I was surprised by how many places I saw it and wondered if it wasn’t this war’s version of “Kilroy was here”.

In Iraq, I was passing this Mosque that was being rebuilt. I happened to see all of the workers lined up like this passing parts of scaffolding up and down as needed. If you look closely you can see a pipe being passed.

This is my first post on my new website and I thought hard and long about what the first post should be about. I love photography very much and it has become a constant outlet for me as I truly love making things that are visually interesting to look at. The truth is, that i would have never known anything but a point-and-shoot camera had it not been for my adequate friend Dave. He had a Canon 10d Camera and was very good at introducing me to the world of pro-sumer cameras. Once I saw his camera it was love at first sight. I did not,however, covet another man’s camera and thus got my own and it has been ecstasy ever since.

Some of you might wonder why I call Dave an “adequate” friend. I keep a list of those I know, and if they call me enough, write enough, or even visit once-in-awhile…they achieve “good” friend status. Dave is too busy to be my good friend and has since slipped into “adequate” friend status. He could do better but i don’t think he wants to. None-the-less this is a tribute to the man who introduced me to photography.

That is Dave in the distant archway in a palace that was started but never finished before our bombs fell. This was to be a great ballroom and I am shooting from the middle of the room. The name of the palace was “Victory over Iran” and it is located near the Baghdad International Airport.