Sadly, Sam Finkelstein passed away on November 21, 2007. He is sorely missed. The facts below remain the same.

Meet Sheila and Sam Finkelstein

Married in 1960, Sam and I lived our lives out of a passion for family (which includes four grandchildren), friends, art, nature and discovery. Both from Philadelphia, PA, we met on a blind date and were married 4 1/2 months later. We started our life together in Queens, NY, where our two sons, Joe and Rob, were born. We moved to our first home in Old Bridge, NJ, in 1965 and lived there for 37 years. Our home was backed by woods, an important environment for us. Goldfinches, chickadees and nuthatches on our deck off the kitchen provide year-round pleasure. Hummingbirds are a highlight in the Summer.

In December of 2002 we became year-round residents of Florida in our beautiful home in Boynton Beach. The backyard birds now consist of snowy, white egrets picking their way along the abundant green that surrounds us, as we look out our many windows.

Our discovery, in March 2003, of Wakodahatchee Wetlands, five minutes from our home, adds to our pleasure. We walk there at least 4 or 5 times a week. See Florida photo/drawings. We enjoy Great Blue Herons and a large variety of other wildlife. Also check out our 11 year-old granddaughter's photos from Wakodahatchee and Butterfly World.

In June of 2004, my second web site eTeletours.com was established. The concept evolved as I was walking along the boardwalk brainstorming on the phone with a friend from the YOU*U course in which I was participating.

Sheila Finkelstein, nee Bakely -- I was graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls (193rd class), then spent 3 years at Temple University, originally intending a career in Social Work. Those interests and skills, developed over subsequent years, translate into training as a Personal Coach. Shortly after moving to Old Bridge, I got passionately involved in establishing a public library there. After leading a successful referendum, I returned to college, got my Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts Education from Kean College, and, while teaching Art in Public Schools, I achieved a Master's Degree in Creative Arts Education from Rutgers University. (See CARDS. ) Decline in enrollment and an abundance of art teachers thrust me out into the world of sales and marketing in different industries, where I remained for many years.

My passion for taking photos was originally inspired by Sam's talents, support and his hours of work in the darkroom, printing my b&w photos of students' art work, several of which were featured in national publications. In 1995, during the course of a major beach restoration in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge, I took close to 3,000 photos, documenting construction activities, equipment, and nature changes, including many days and views of sunrises over the bay. Since that time, my point-and-shoot camera is with me wherever I go. Discovery and play resulted in the current photo/drawings I've been developing during the past 2 years.

Walking, focusing on images in Nature, and making discoveries, are the things I know I can count on to enliven and enrich me. I find particularly rewarding the responses people have to my art. (See TESTIMONIALS.) I am currently working on discovering markets to reach where my work will make a difference in how people "see" their worlds. Suggestions and referrals are welcome. Write to Sheila. Thanks for your visit.

Read more about Sheila in an INTERVIEW in SAN MARCO MATTERS, a monthly newsletter.

Sam Finkelstein, after being graduated from Central High School (193rd Class), chose Textile Engineering as his chosen profession, enrolling in Philadelphia Textile Institute (now Philadelphia University). While there, he developed a keen interest in photography, taking countless photographs utilizing the beautiful P.T.I. campus as his favorite background. In the summer of his Junior year, carrying 3 cameras around his neck, he took a 6-week trip throughout the U.S. Many of the photos from that trip became the core of his future work.

He was graduated from P.T.I. in 1954 and entered the U.S. Army Medical Corps. He was sent to the U.S. Army Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, and was fortunate to find time to study darkroom technique under the tutelage of Oscar Klees, a newspaper photographer, who moonlighted for the photo lab at the Hospital.

While in Europe, Sam took photographs in 12 countries. Before leaving there in 1956, he had a one-man show of his work, "Twelve Countries through the Eyes of the Camera," at the U. S. Information Center in Heidelberg. Returning to the States, Sam made the decision to keep photography as an avocation, while pursuing a career as Textile Designer. He spent 25 years at United Merchants Industrial Fabrics (UNIGLAS, Inc.) in New York City, designing fancy fiberglass woven patterns and developing suitable markets for them. During this time Sam continued developing his photographic hobby and participated in contests and shows. He won several prizes and his work was published in magazines.

After moving to Old Bridge, Sam was able to set up a darkroom in his home where he spent many of his non-NYC hours. In addition to the countless family and trip pictures, he developed and mounted a large collection of 8"x10" black and white photos, over 50% of which are the European photos (see BW_PHOTOS).

Once color photography became popular he decided to leave the lab work to the photo houses. Sam's work has been purchased through photo stock agencies.

For further information on obtaining black and white European images of the '50s or b&w nature and children's pictures, e-mail Sheila, or call 561-752-8339.

To read more about Sam, go to REMEMBERING SAM.