I've been interested in Photography for the past 15 years, but didn't get serious about it until digital cameras became affordable.  The costs of film and processing was prohibitive, but with the freedom of shooting digitally, I was able to explore my creative side without worrying about messing up a picture.  All of a sudden, it was ok to shoot 200 pictures to get 1 good one because I didn't have to pay for all of that film. 

My first digital camera was a  3 Megapixel Kodak point and shoot.  I loved it and was hooked.  I've since upgraded my equipment a few times and now shoot with a Nikon D50.  

Most of my photography consists of landscape photos of mountains, streams, waterfalls, nature, and wildlife.

A few years ago, I created a small website to showcase some of my better pictures, and I wanted to give others the ability to upload their's.  This has blossomed into a successful photography and art community called The Lens Flare, which now has over 1500 users, 40,000 pictures, and 35,000 monthly visitors.  Because pictures are moderated to keep the garbage out, the site is family friendly and suitable to all ages.