Last January, Don Rosenberger brought his fascination with decaying buildings to us in a presentation he called “Rust & Ruin.” Now we’ve invited him back to judge our images of industrial and mechanical objects and structures, some new and some well beyond their prime. With his eye for the built environment, Don seemed like just the right person to judge this month’s competition.

In spite of his passion for the architecture of decay, however, Don’s primary focus these days is landscape photography. But how he got to this point is an unusual story. After a serious start in photography, in 1983, Don sold all his camera gear and walked away from photography. Then, in 2005, he found another camera and has spent most of his weekends and vacation time since then trying to make up for those lost years.

Since his return to photography, Don has worked with and been mentored by a great group of well known – and some not so well known – photographers. He shoots with everything from the iPhone to high-end DSLRs and infrared. However, he emphasizes, it’s not the camera that’s important; the camera’s just a tool for the photographer’s vision. And a lot of Don’s vision comes from spending a great deal of time outside – often in remote locations. He says this gives him a serious appreciation for our natural world. It’s Don’s hope that his images bring others that same feeling.

Don is the former presentation manager for the annual Nature Visions Photography Expo in Manassas. He’s also a partner in Road Runner Photography Tours, leading national and international photography travel adventures.

Don’s website