September is soon approaching and another exciting season of photography lies ahead. For those of you who do not know me yet let me take this first posting to give you a little of my background.
I got my photography start when I purchased a Yashica 35GMAT while in the Air Force and stationed in Guam in the early 70's. Since that time it has not only become a passion, but also my livelihood. Like many who decided on a career around photography I joined a camera club in Tucson, Arizona where I was stationed with the Air Force. The insights I got from that camera club and seminars that I attended led me to stay with photography as a career when I left the Air Force in 1975.
Returning to Michigan and moving to Ann Arbor (home of the UofM) I got a job working for a Camera retail chain out of Detroit. This supported my "habit" and allowed me to earn a steady income while pursuing my education in the art of professional photography. After years of both working in photo retail and shooting weddings, environmental portraits and other assorted assignments I decided that the sales end of photo equipment was what I enjoyed the most.
After moving to the Albany, Troy, Schenectady area of upstate NY where my wife took a teaching job, and working as a store manager and buyer for a multi-store chain, I struck out on my own as an independent photo sales representative. I spent the next few years representing companies like Kiron, Brandess/Kalt, Cardcraft, Fujinon binoculars, Jobo Phototechnix and Minox. In 1984 I went to work for Canon USA as a sales representative to the retail photo market in upstate NY and Vermont. In 1993 I transferred to Canon USA's Government Marketing Division where my new responsibilities were for the sales of photographic, video and visual communication products to the Federal, State and Local government agencies nation wide.
In 2005 I retired from Canon USA and in 2006 I opened up Bella Photo Art & Framing Gallery here in Edgewater, MD.
I look forward to this years DPCA season and hope to help in bringing interesting programs, speakers and photographers to our meetings so that we can all learn and enjoy.
This space will be devoted to bring you information about upcoming programs and events so please check it often.
Michael Kellogg
