Don and Bonnie Fink work as a team. As photographers, their work compliments each other’s without conflict. As writers, Don does most of the writing, while Bonnie does most of the research and proofing. Again, a complimentary arrangement.
Bonnie was born and raised in San Diego, California. She developed an interest in Photography early in life, and pursued it as a serious hobby all throughout her adult working career. Her day job was that of an air traffic controller at the Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center in Fremont, California, but she spent much of her off time in the Sierras photographing wildlife. When she retired in 2000, she began to photograph professionally from her home in northern New Mexico. Much of her work has been shown in galleries in Taos, and she frequently works on assignment for the local newspaper and two locally published magazines. She also does commercial work in northern New Mexico, specializing in architectural work.
Bonnie’s strongest asset in photography is her vast knowledge of Photoshop. While Don did nearly all the darkroom work in the “chemical” days of photography, Bonnie is now the primary lab tech. Her primary interest in photography is wildlife. Her strong points are her “eye” for the artistic merits of photography, and her extremely strong background in Photoshop, and other “processing” software.
Don was born in central California, near a small town (small then) called Modesto. His interest in photography was developed in the fourth grade, when he set up his first darkroom using an old enlarger manufactured by the Federal Stamping Company. His first real camera was a brand called a Ciro; an Italian made 35mm rangefinder.
All through Don’s career as an air traffic controller, he pursued a serious hobby as a photographer, building his darkroom skills and knowledge. At his retirement in 2001, he was processing Ilfochrome images for himself, Bonnie, and many of his photographer friends, including occasional lab work for the local camera store.
Don also has a strong background in computer programming and administration. Working in BASIC, Turbo Pascal, and Visual Basic programming was one of his extra duties as an Air Traffic Controller. “We did everything back then,” remarks Don about his early days in the FAA. “The main frame software was maintained by Controllers. I worked on the scheduling software and other administrative projects.” Don’s primary interest in photography is landscape. His strong points are the technical aspects of the field work, and the complete digital workflow of modern photography today.
When Don and Bonnie moved to New Mexico in 2001, they switched to an all digital format. “We found that the format offered many technical advantages over film, plus it simply produces better pictures,” says Bonnie about the switch. “If you want to compare film and digital,” says Don, “I can show you the numbers that prove film is a better choice, but go to any photo gallery where both are displayed, and digital images will win every time.”
Don and Bonnie are spending their time updating their body of photographic work. They plan to travel full time beginning in November, 2007, and photograph and write about the United States and Canada.
Our inspiration is the very world we live in. As photographers, we intend show as many people as we can the world with the hope that they will get off the couch and go see for themselves. We live in a pretty remarkable place. Our hope is to share some of that world with people who may not otherwise take the time for themselves.
Our photography is intended to do just that; to report the world we live in. Our writing, for the most part, is intended to compliment the visual reporting, again to inspire those around us to go out and see for themselves.
We are not artists, but merely reporters of the art that exists all around us.
Don and Bonnie Fink
