Like just about everyone else, I grew up with cameras and took snapshots of everything around me. My first camera, a Yashika rangefinder got me started taking pictures at the beach, surfing, out with friends, and much more. Through high-school and college I learned a lot about photography through classes, trial & error, books and seminars - and over the years, through a better understanding of light & composition, the snapshots slowly evolved into a sizeable portfolio of photographs.

I like to photograph mostly nautical themes, concentrating on our shorelines & bays, yachting, the bridges, wetlands, lighthouses, wildlife, flowers and the unique things that make living near & on the water on Long Island a special experience.

I have participated in numerous contests & shows; held one-man exhibitions at the East Islip Library; won awards at NWPLI (Nature & Wildlife Photographers of Long Island), PFLI (Photographic Federation of Long Island), and the Islip Arts Council. I am a member and past-president of the NWPLI and a member of the Islip Arts Council. My works are featured at the Village Art & Framing Gallery in Babylon Village, and can also be seen via facebook at RJLaBella-Photos. My works now hang in many private collections and businesses.