The term “griot” comes from the West African tradition – a news reporter, adviser, arbiter,mentor, confidante, coach, historian, poet and troubadour. The guru to kings and queens.

In The RAW Report you?ll find both the newest and the classic insider info, practical tips from when I?ve “been there and shot that”, and reviews of everything from movies to print to equipment that beg for your opinion and response. I always ask, “Where?s the story?” No undeserved hype, no whitewash. The real deal, deep soul, researched facts, essential details, instruction from the trenches, prudent mentoring, inspirational flashes, considered criticism. This is your personal invitation to dialogue with me and our fellow readers!

I started out as a photojournalist; my style and ability have evolved far past documentary photojournalism into what I call “Storytelling from the Heart”. It came about this way.

My family are artists and musicians, all of them opinionated, and both willing and able to back up their opinions with experience and facts. I envisioned going into foreign service when I was a student in Germany. By accident I fell in love with photography, because the camera became my bridge, my door opener, to meet people and find out what they were all about. I wanted to tell their stories; the camera became welded to the end of my arm. I morphed into a techno junkie and ardent supporter of photography as fine art.

My passion is book making – designing extraordinary photo book constructions, portfolios and press books. I love to weave my magic as a “pixel surgeon”, turning two dimensional imagery into intimate, very touchable works in three dimensions. And never repeated. It?s all about layers of meaning and story. My newest craze is iPhone photography. We?ve had two successful shows of the current work at our gallery, Photo Mirage. Yes! Photographic art is alive and well in Denver, Colorado. Here?s a sample.

When it comes to professional photographers I admire, there?s Sebastião Salgado,Imogen Cunningham, Paul Caponigro, Lucas Samaras, Henri Cartier-Bresson, William Albert Allard, Francesca Woodman, Cy Twombly, David Hockney, James Nachtwey and Edward Curtis. Interestingly enough, all photographers made their mark by documenting life as they see it.

And yes, I?ve got a sweetheart, friend and muse. He?s Karl Arndt, honored husband, videographer and rigger. I could never have imagined the yin and yang fun of being half of an artist team. We dated in high school, lost each other for years before meeting again in 2000. As an artist pair, we never have a dull moment. We discuss all kinds of art, technology, jobs and critique each other?s work. We compare and argue our points, praise achievements and hone our skills. It?s positively amazing to have found a match that is so comfortable and at the same time a daily surprise. And we do have fun! Here we?re working in the center of the street at the Vail, Colorado 4th of July Celebration, complete with steam engine.

It’s a real rush to edit and print all our own work. Of course we overlap; the enduring passion is in seeing stories come to life in fusion media.