When I was in the army I was stationed in Mannheim, Germany from June of 1971 through April of 1972. My passion for photography began there after learning how to process black and white film and make prints in the darkroom in the enlisted men's club. Hans Jurgen-Heider, a German professional photographer, had been hired by the U.S. Army to run the darkroom.

Hans and I became friends and he tutored me in photolab procedures. I have to credit him for being my inspiration to become a professional photographer myself. One of my earliest photos was almost identical to this one of Heidelberg, shot from the north bank of the Necker River.