I was born and raised in upstate New York, in the labs and darkrooms of my father's school at the Rochester Institute of Technology. This is probably why I had a camera in my hands before I learned to walk. Now, I work as a photographer and creative director in the Pacific Northwest.
I have spent much of my life living up and down the west coast, including many years in Seattle, San Francisco, Portland and Bend, Oregon. Working as a designer and brand consultant over the past 15+ years, I have traveled the world helping brands and organizations deliver better products and experiences in education, healthcare, retail, and the home. As a natural companion to my consulting work, I follow a natural curiosity and passion for relating very human moments and stories with honest narratives of words and images. In late December, 2010, my dog and I set off on a six month long road trip around North America. Two months into the trip, I made a little detour to Egypt to see about a revolution. A few months after that I was stalking icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland. And now, a few months after that—well, I'm here at home and quietly reflecting on the events of the past year.
My family.
My father, also named Andy, heads the Photographic Imaging and Technology program at RIT, where he's been since the mid-sixties. My mother, Lucille, was a great hostess and sun worshipper who lived her life out peacefully in Florida, where there was always plenty of it. My sister, Jennifer, lives in the Bay Area with her family, and I have a brother kicking it in Brooklyn.
Growing up, my sister and I had a university as a playground, which brought some interesting people and experiences into our lives. Some of my fondest memories growing up in the Northeast included the many canoe trips dad would take us on—down the Moose River to James Bay, Ontario and over Skinners Falls on the Delaware, and of course, Algonquin Park. There were even a couple cross country drives in an earnest, green Pinto wagon. No doubt, I got the bug a long time ago and have been perfecting the art of the epic road trip adventure ever since.
Though originally from Hungary, my paternal grandparents lived in Seattle when I was young. We would visit there most summers. Captain Andy was a naval architect and would often take us sailing aboard the beloved Adria. It was my grandmother, Gabriella, and teaching pro, aunt Minka, that taught and encouraged me to play tennis. I took my game very seriously back then and still try to remain competitive as the years accumluate. On my mom's side, it was Homer and June who brought a family full of warmth and disfunction together around a pale yellow cottage with a screened-in patio on Lake Ontario. I was a master fisherman of minnows.
In spite of myself.
Admittedly, I was also a below-average student with an above-average ability to wing it. Not especially proud of that though. Sports came relatively easy and it was on those courts and pitches that I felt most at home—be it tennis, skiing, hockey, and of course, soccer—the beautiful game. College never really interested me, instead preferring to learn by doing, with some hits and misses along the way.
In 1994, after giving rock guitarist an LA try, toiling as a carpenter and draftsman, designing and building stage sets for local theatres for a pittance, and falling in love with a woman who wanted more than my meager living could provide, I figured it was time to get a real job. So I did. And for much of the 16 years since, I have been fortunate enough to travel all over the world solving interesting problems for some good companies, while working alongside some amazing people often far more talented than myself.
> check out my design resumé and see some of my work
> check out my photography background and see some of my images
I'll add to and edit this bio some more a bit later.