I came to photography both earlier and later in life than most. As a child, my sense of smell was far stronger than any of my other senses, something that continues to this day. One of my most vivid memories is one of the smell of photography. My father had a Polaroid camera and I can still smell the sticks of protecting fixer he applied to each photo. Frankly, I don't even think I cared about the photographs, I simply loved the smell associated with them. I was born and raised in coastal Massachusetts and moved to rural New Hampshire at age fourteen. These underpinnings have left me with a deep love for nature, particularly water, mountains, and forests. I have always enjoyed photography, but was never very serious about it. Photography was always a hobby, an enjoyable pastime, and something others were experts at, but not me. What has changed? Simply, I have. Following retirement from a 22 year Navy career, I now reside in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire, whose beaut