I can't really believe it, but I've been at my current job as a graphic designer for nearly 14 years. Boy, how time flies. Prior to that I worked in the fly fishing industry, managing a fly shop, teaching fly tying, and hosting groups of anglers on trips to exotic fishing locations such as Christmas Island, Belize, and the Yucatan. I also did a lot of fly fishing for trout in Northern California.

After you've caught and released your first 1,000 trout (or whatever number becomes enough), your focus shifts from the specific act of chasing fish to the enjoyment of the overall experience. The fishing mostly becomes a reason to get out of Dodge; we often described it as a ridiculously expensive excuse to go play in the water.

I gave up fly fishing years ago, but my fascination with moving water hasn't diminished in the least. I miss some aspects of the fishing experience, but it was always more about the rivers and the mountains than the catching. Now, landscape photography fulfills that need for me, which explains why water plays a central role in so many of my photographs. Chasing images gets me out of the house and back in touch with nature, and just like chasing trout, it gives me a perfect excuse to go play in the water.