I am a former professor at Fort Hays State University and, until my retirement, director of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. I remain active in research, and my research specialty is "bats and rats."

I bought my first SLR, a Pentax Spotmatic, in the mid-1960s for use during a research expedition to Nicaragua. I used that camera and a single lens, the 50mm, all over North and Central America for many years, until it finally was stolen from my son.

I lost interest in photography until about the end of the millenium, when I purchased a Minolta Maxxum 5 and some mediocre glass. I did not use that camera enough to become proficient although it served me well in Africa.

Finally, in 2006, after using a Canon P&S camera, I decided to go digital properly with a Canon Rebel XT. I learned the basics with the "thrifty 50" lens before buying my first L glass (17-40mm f/4L and 70-200mm f/4L) and the incredible 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5. Now that I am retired and have even more opportunities for research and travel, I hope eventually to become a reasonably good amateur photographer.