Born in 1953 and growing up in the 1960s during the height of the space program, John developed an interest in space. Motorcycles and a family distracted him from pursuing his interest until 1984. He purchased his first telescope, a 4 1/2 inch reflector, from a friend. This was just before the return of Haleys Comet in 1985. Shortly after this, the astrophotography bug struck. Inspired by the color photos seen in books and magazines, he started learning about space and the many celestial wonders. Many which are not seen by the naked eye. Photography seemed a natural extension to the pursuit of investigating the heavens. His hobby of astrophotography has taken him as far as Australia to photograph many celestial objects not available to Northern Hemisphere observers. His interest in photography of the night sky has continued over the years and new challenges and techniques have led him into the use of computers and digital cameras.