If you had to describe your style of photography, how would you describe it?

My style basically is to locate the beat of life and then photograph it with my E-System cameras.

What style of photography do you enjoy most?

Documentary photography is always interesting and a passion of mine.

What inspires you, so you keep a fresh perspective on your work?

Seeing the first of interesting morning light always inspires me to see things in a different way.

How has your step from film to digital been?

It has been a wonderful and freeing experience shooting digital color and these Olympus cameras make it easy.  I take my E-3 or E-420 with me almost everywhere.

How long have you been shooting with Olympus Cameras?

I have been shooting with Olympus cameras since the Day in the Life of Africa photography project (2002).

What makes a good photojournalist and do you enjoy photojournalism?

A good photojournalist is endlessly curious about the world around them and is always hopeful about getting into that world to photograph it.

Any specific image that you would like to talk about?

A photograph that I made in Iquitos, Peru is one of my recent most
favorite photographs. You can't tell necessarily that the area is very
dangerous for outsiders but hopefully you can see the darkness and
beauty of that world in the photograph. 

Can you tell us more about your current projects?

I worked on in the Peru Amazon was very liberating in the way that I was allowed to work simply and precisely with my E-3 equipment. The end result was a photographic essay that informed the general public and revealed important truths that helped people who are HIV positive. As I left Peru upon completion of the end of that project, I was introduced into the beginning of a second project, also in Peru and deeper into the Amazon, with potentially great images to be made and important points to be made.

What happened in Chicago (at the Obama acceptance speach) was more then mere history happening, it was the kind of event that shapes a generation and raises the collective hopes and dreams of people everywhere who believe in positive possibilities. It was wonderful experience to be there and photograph the series of wonderful moments that came out of the happening.

What was the point in time when you first considered yourself a professional photographer?

My first professional job as a photographer occurred when I did an assignment photographing an ambassadors wife for Vogue Magazine in 1972. I considered myself a FULL TIME professional photographer on my first day of the job working at the Middletown Times Herald Record in New York State on August 2, 1977.

What is your most bizarre/funniest story from your photography career?

There are too many bizarre/funny stories to relate but I will mention a couple. Once I was in the country of Malawi in Africa working on a National Geographic story on their national Mother's Day. I was in a crowded stadium when a security official asked me to come with him to talk with a woman from the crowd. The woman was sure that I was related to her and swore up and down that I was her long lost cousin.

During another assignment in southern France, there came a moment when I found myself stuffed in a too small helicopter with three extremely large strongmen who were competing for the title of "Strongest Man in World." The contest was held in an ancient arena in the city of Orange and the helicopter was being flown by a member of the French Foreign Legion based in the area. We bonded because the strongmen and myself got sick from the airborne moves that the pilot was having fun with. I received a standing ovation as I entered the front door of the favored restaurant that the strongmen hung out at after all the competitions were over.

Do  you shoot Raw or Jpeg's and why?

I shoot  Raw because Raw is the basic negative of the images made on the memory cards.

Tell us about your darkroom workflow?

I try and keep things simple. I am working at learning to use Aperture to keep things on a normal keel. There hasn’t been much need for complicating things with the Olympus cameras because of the wonderful resolution.

Do you do a lot of postprocessing in PhotoShop itself?

I don’t use PhotoShop much myself, that is why I’m particularly looking forward to the new Olympus E-30 with the six new built in art filters and multiple exposure capabilities. Often I’ll have my assistants PhotoShop my work.

What do you do about archiving?

I have a lot of hard drives.

Do you rely on software of do you try to get it absolutely right on location?

I always try to get it right on location.

How has your E-3 experience been?

My E-3 experience has been fantastic from the beginning. I also do a lot of shooting with the E-420 with the pancake lens because it’s so portable. It handily fits in my pockets.

What are your most used lenses?

I use primarily the 12 to 60 mm F2.8/4, 14 to 35 mm F2, 50 to 200 mm F2.8/3.5, 25 mm F2.8, and the 150 F2.

Tell us about your most current book "Black in America"?

It is not so recent. It was published in 1997, but you can imagine why the book has become especially relevant in today’s times. There is another booklet published in 2007 via the Hachette Press which was a book done individually of all the photographers of Magnum. The Black America book was a project of 16 years and it was number eight on the Digital Journalist list of photographic books that all photographers should own.

Why do you choose to use the 4/3 system?

The system works for me and helps me produce beautiful images with edge to edge clarity and sharpness that fit without cropping on the printed full or double spread pages.

What is one thing that you would like to see improved?

Faster prime lenses

What advice would you give to someone wanting to become a professional photographer?

Go out and take lots of photographs of subjects that interest you or arouse your innate curiosity. It is a simple of way of finding the path of happiness doing something you like.