New Century Images

My interest in photography goes back many years, to my days in graduate school at the University of Iowa, where I was studying for a master’s degree in astronomy. The first camera I used seriously was the one at the University of Iowa laboratory, and it had a lens over 12 feet long. My work at Iowa also was my introduction to large format photography and the darkroom.

For years after that, I did what many people did: I shot film slides using a 35 mm camera. In the 80s, I added medium format with a Hasselblad. In the 90s, I started shooting 6 x 17 and also 4 x 5 again, this time with a field camera.

In the late 90s, with the wide introduction of improved and more affordable and accessible digital cameras, I began to get very serious about digital imaging. I started by scanning film images, and then moved from the Canon film SLR to the digital Canon D60. Later I added the Canon 10D, and I’m continuing to upgrade to newer digital equipment. Today I shoot digital images only unless the shot is a very long exposure. My digital camera equipment is all Canon and my primary camera is the EOS 1Ds Mark II.

My skills in photography, computer digital editing (Photoshop) and printing come not only from many workshops and seminars, but also from poring over a number of publications during any spare time I have. And although it’s sometimes painful to consider all the film, ink and paper I’ve wasted, I’ve realized that experimenting has been an important part of my education.

I live in a suburban Chicago . I own an own an alternative investment management company, an enterprise that allows me to use my years of experience in the exchange-traded financial derivatives markets (options, futures, etc.) and a few years in the financial info rmation market. I belong to a couple of Chicago area camera clubs.

I have another serious hobby that I combine with photography: vintage aircraft. Among the aircraft I particularly have enjoyed flying are the World War II vintage Stearman, the Beechcraft Staggerwing, the Navy SNJ, the Grumman Wildcat, the Douglas C-47, the North american B-25 Mitchell Bomber, and the German Junkers-52, a 100 feet wingspan tri-motor. In addition to those favorites, I’ve spent many hours piloting the Navy T-34, the T-28, the French Fouga Magister, and the Russian Sukhoi Su-29.

I have never enjoyed photography more than I do now. The rapid developments in digital imaging make photography more intriguing and more exciting by the day. Photography has given me an ability to see and to create as never before, and has introduced me to talented people who have both inspired me to become a better photographer and who have generously shared their knowledge with me. Photography has encouraged me to develop new skills (like creating websites) and to travel to places I would have likely missed otherwise.

I invite you to visit the site again.

And thanks for stopping by.

-----Jim Porter