I WAS JUST OUT of high school in 1985 when, inspired by the film 'The Killing Fields,' I ran off to become a photojournalist. I eventually wound up in Bosnia, Iraq, El Salvador, Northern Ireland, Burma, Sri Lanka and a half dozen other wars.

In 1998 I began working on assignment for the World Health Organization documenting epidemics in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East.

I turned to magazine travel writing and photography in 2000.

None of my work would be possible without my magical wife Karin and daughter Annika, my family and friends, and my extraordinary teachers and mentors: Olga Hudecek at the American School of Madrid; Ron Finelli at Everitt JHS; Kaye Fairbanks at Wheat Ridge HS; Frances Fergusson at Vassar College; Len Ackland, Beth Gaeddert and Frank Kaplan at CU; National Geographic photojournalist Jim Richardson, and wildlife photographers Bob Rozinski and Wendy Shattil.