I am standing on the shoulders of giants that came before me, namely my father and grandfather Steele.  A passion for the photographic arts runs within me too.  Whether it be on film, xerographic, or digital, I’ve had a knack for the image.  

I started as a youth with a Kodak Brownie camera.  Aim, hold your breath, click the shutter, wind the film, repeat.  

The cool part was when Dad would take the film out of the camera, load it onto a spool in complete darkness, put it in a light proof developing tank.  We’d then pour liquids in until it was about full, flip the tank over a few times a minute, rinse and repeat with 2 other solutions.  After 10 minutes in the tank, we’d wash it in the sink and see what I shot that day.  It was magic!

Once the negatives were dry, down to the basement darkroom and put the film on a piece of light sensitive paper and hold the film down with a piece of thick, clear glass.  On goes the enlarger light exposing the paper to the rays from the bulb shining through the negative.  After a minute or so, we dip the paper in a series of three trays to develop and fix the image on the paper.  Looking at monochrome images under a red safety light with your father is one of my most cherished memories.

Grandfather, Karl M. Steele, ran Steele Photographers from his home in Hyattsville, Maryland after WWII until the early 70’s.  During the war, he was a member of the signal corps and carried with him the U.S. Army issued Graflex PH-47f 7 Lb. camera I still use today.  

I started Greg Steele Photography after purchasing my first professional digital camera, a Nikon D80, in 2013.  Until then I had been using Minolta SRT-101, Minolta Maxxum 7000, Canon A-1 and AE-1Program cameras for most of my image endeavors.  

In the ’80s I worked at a camera shop in Hyattsville, MD. I enjoyed how the Nikon brand felt and how all the lenses were interchangeable between old and new models.  But, I was too broke then to afford one!  Finally, I had the chance to switch up!  I have not regretted this path!

Now my polycamerous friends will see me toting a Fujifilm XT-10 with a few lenses on shoots lately.  Better than the D80, and almost as versatile as my D780 or D4.  I like how the camera looks, I enjoy how to control it by feel while keeping your eye on the viewer and seeing your mode updates!

Enough of me!  Tell me how we can make some great photos together.