ABOUT ME

Thanks for your interest in my web site. I am 52 years old, married to Brenda for 15 years, live in Kingsport, TN., (about 100 miles northeast of Smokey Mt. Nat. Park in Gatlinburg),  worked for Eastman Chemical Co. as a mechanic for  34 years, and Brenda and I love camping and RVing which goes right along with my photography.

I purchased my first camera in 1971 when my son was born and I was hooked. I have made the full circle of 35mm, medium format, large format, and back to 35mm again. My equipment is mostly Nikon and consist of an F4, a 6006, 24-50mm, 80-200mm, 90mm Tamron macro, 150-500mm Tokina, Nikkor 600mm F5.6, 1.4 converter, SB25 flash unit, Fresnel flash projection unit,  Bogen 3021 and 3051 tripods, Bogen ball heads, and being a mechanic with my on little home shop, I have many..many... homemade gadgets. I just purchased the Olympus C2100UZ digital camera in Jan. 2001. Within a few weeks I purchased the B-300 1.7X telephoto converter and the B-28 wide angle converter. In March 2002 I added A Canon D30 and the 100-400MM F5.6 IS lens. I have also added several filters to my system in recent months. 

If you have viewed any of the web site you can tell that bird photography is what I enjoy the most. All of the songbird photos were taken in my backyard. I have several feeders that are filled at all times, water for bathing and drinking, and lots of perches for the birds to lite on. The perches are placed in the best available places for clean backgrounds and color. These are the places where I take the photos.

For the shorebirds I have traveled to the Everglades, Sanibel Island, Ding Darling Nat. Wildlife Refuge, Corkscrew Swamp, Myakka River State Park, Merritt Island, and Cape May, NJ.

Most of my wildflower photography is done in parks in my local area. I have three that are close home and I spend a lot of time in the Smokey Mt. Nat. Park. The Roaring Fork Motor Trail is an 8 mile drive through some of the best wildflower, moss covered rocks, streams, and waterfalls anywhere. If you ever get the chance in the spring, don't miss this drive.

Thanks again for stopping by, and Please, sign my guestbook to let me know you were here and if you enjoyed your visit. Here's wishing you all the best !!!!!!

....Keith Tate....