Newhouse, encouraged him to change his major to photojournalism. Since he was close to graduation and hadn't considered photography as a profession, he stayed the course. After graduation he became a counselor and used most of his free time for photography, a hobby, and won awards in local photography exhibitions.

 

The State University of N.Y. was searching for an Adjunct Professor of Photography at their Tompkins-Cortland Campus. He applied and accepted the position to teach a three credit hour course each semester. At that time he was also the Director of PhotoVisions Gallery in Syracuse, N.Y. As the Director, he curated eight photography exhibitions during his term of office. 

 

A staff member at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse viewed an exhibit of his photographs at Photovisions Gallery and encouraged him to show his portfolio to her Director. After meeting with the Museum Director it was decided Del would exhibit twenty photographs from the new color work he viewed that day. At the close of the Everson exhibit, selected photographs were entered into their permanent collection. The exhibit brought him to the quintessential "fork in the road". He was a trained counselor with a newly found awareness of his natural visual gift for photography. He chose the road less traveled, but the road that felt right.

 

Photography was his passion, so he decided to pursue photography full time. It had to be in the form of a career... something that would pay the bills, so he opened a commercial studio. He was interested in fine art and studio still life photography, so he bought a Horseman 4x5 view camera and a Schneider 210 mm lens and assembled a portfolio of thirty transparencies and then scheduled meetings with local advertising agencies. At his very first portfolio review he was awarded an advertising assignment. One of the transparencies from that assignment was used in a television commercial in New York and that one photograph paid all his expences for an entire month. It was a very positive sign... that he made the right decision in 're-inventing' himself as a professional photographer. 

 

With continued success in advertising photography, he moved his family to the rapidly growing business sector of Orange County California to open a studio for product and food photography serving local, national and international clients.** His photographs were used in annual reports, television commercials, magazine advertising, packaging, brochures, and trade shows. He won awards for advertising photography from ADDOC ~ (the Art Directors & Designers of Orange County) at their annual awards ceremonies.

 

As a full time commercial photographer, he continued to pursue his fine art photography and participated in twenty five photography exhibits in the U.S. and Canada. That dual track... fine art photography and commercial photography, benefited both forms of his work. Now retired, he's out 'on the road' devoting his time exclusively to fine art photography. He is excited about his recently captured images and even more excited about the images he will see tomorrow. 

                                    __________________________                                                                   

*Mushin no Shin (No-Mind), Japanese, is a mind not fixed by thought or emotion and therefore open to anything. Zen and Taoist meditators attempt to reach this state as do artists and trained martial artists. They also practice this mental state during everyday activities. He has used this approach in all his photography; being aware ( mindful ) that Everything changes, that Everything is connected... so it is most important to Pay attention.

 

**A Partial Client list:

Allergan, Apple Macintosh, Avis, Beatrice Hunt-Wesson, Bentley Mills, Breyers, Coca Cola, Del Mar Avionics, FireTrac, F.X. Matt Brewing Co., ICN Pharmaceuticals, Ingram Micro, Knudsen, Lawry's, Marathon, Inc., Philips Electronics, Ocean Pacific (Swimwear), Orange Coast Magazine, Quantum Health Resources, Taco Bell, TRW (Northrop Grumman).