About

I have been a photographer since age 11 when I was given a Leica IIIG by an uncle who won it in a poker game while stationed in Germany. Being a completely manual camera that was notoriously hard to load, my uncle became frustrated with it and put it on a shelf. Learning that I was interested in photography, he gave me the camera. The only string being that I had to learn how to use it. My small-town library had few books on photography, but a patron had donated several boxes of photography magazines which were gathering dust in a storage closet. The librarian, happy to finally be rid of them, gave me permission to carry off all I wanted. Soon I had a library of my own consisting of hundreds of issues of Modern Photography, Popular Photography, U.S. Camera, Camera 35 and their annuals which published the best fine art and journalistic photography. Eventually, I learned to use the Leica as all the business of film speed, apertures, shutter speed and rangefinder focusing fell into place. I eventually attended Viginia Commonwealth University to study commercial art and photography. Then came a stint in the United States Army as a photojournalist, followed by many years as a fine art and dance photographer.

I can be reached at: dhayesphotography@yahoo.com

Doug Hayes