Doug is an experienced and educated photographer who began his professional career in early 1988 within the commercial sector before seamlessly merging his passion for fine art photography into his daily routine in late 2004. This experience spans more than thirty-seven years of working with clients across advertising, fashion, and editorial genres, establishing a strong foundation in commercial photography. In parallel, the last twenty-one of those years have also been devoted to developing a distinct voice as a fine art photographer as well. At times, it took the shape of two full-time callings; but also offered twice the fun. Looking to the future, Doug has no plans of ever stopping, for being creative is not just what he does, it’s who he is. He is currently in a rebranding phase, evolving within his creative output by blending select genres from his previous commercial experience with a renewed creative vision, seeking to foster meaningful, mutually beneficial collaborations moving forward. He takes pride in how his collection has grown, each piece marking a step in his artistic journey. Yet what drives him most is the excitement of discovery… the inspiration to keep creating, evolving, and shaping the next chapter.

His fine art emerges from a deep passion for photography, and he will be the first to let you know that expressing himself using a pencil, or paintbrush, yet while always admiring those who truly have this gift, is not his best strength. Though irrelevant because he loves everything about photography and being a photographer, whereas his camera has been an extra appendage on his body throughout most of his life. He reflects on his beginnings in photography during the mid-1970s, a time when the ‘old school’ process of shooting on film, hand-developing negatives, and printing in the darkroom was essential to his growth as an artist. His first experiences were in high school while living in Corpus Christi, Texas. After graduation, he knew his path and convinced his parents to let him move three hundred miles away to start the photography program at Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas. He has both undergraduate and graduate studies to his credit from this alma mater. In between the two levels of curriculum, he got married, divorced, and took on the responsibility of being a single dad. After graduate school, with son in tow, he moved to Dallas, Texas, to gain experience working in the catalog industry. In late 1988 he decided to take a different path and relocated he and his son to Fort Myers, Florida, where he promptly opened his first photography business. 

In order to remain relevant in the industry due to the technological advances becoming more mainstream, Doug began his transition to digital photography during its early development in the late 1990s. Once he decided to incorporate digital photography into his business, he adapted quickly, though he had no concept at the time of how transformative this leap would be. He takes pride in his hands-on ‘old school’ background, for it taught and defines him well, but he also embraces the enhancements that the digital age brings to his imagery. It complements his ability to present his best work and has become integral to the success of his multiple-layer composites as he moves forward.

His interests encompass a wide range of subject matter, and he refuses to let any single genre define his artistic statement. He believes what sets him apart from the massive influx of photographic artists today made possible because of technology advances, who often focus on usually just one or two genre, is his desire to explore a wider range of themes. His collection is varied, expansive, and boundless, accumulated from many years of putting a camera up to his eye, reflecting his openness to capturing a multitude of subjects that piques his interest. At the heart of his creativity is a pursuit of finding and capturing beauty, not only just from the obvious because of his female nude studies, but in its many forms, as he explores a wide range of ideas and transforms them into compelling, meaningful realities. He finds true joy in bringing his visions to life, but won’t share it with the world unless he is willing to exhibit it in his own castle first. Yes, his artistic measure has definitely evolved into a business worth noticing, but the greatest reward is knowing his work is appreciated and respected by his peers, and an audience of friends, fans, and collectors.

As noted above, Doug was initially known for his commercial photography before presenting himself as a photographic fine artist within his debut exhibit in 2004. Yet his most sought after and widely collected image to date, “My Swan,” was captured on his very first roll of film as a college photography student in 1978.

Maybe in his case it could be said; once an artist, always an artist.