Stephen MacKenzie Brown is a Canadian-born artist, technologist and teacher and the founder of Photongraphics.
He exhibited an artistic aptitude and an interest in how things work from a very young age. He received formal art training from the the age of 12 and was building electronic devices from the age of 13. He fell in love with photography at age 15.
Throughout his high school years he was involved in audio-visual and photography and took courses in electronics and machine shop. He actually dropped out art classes because he was, in his words, "too radical for the art teachers, who did not understand real art."
He attended Sheridan College (Applied Photography,1975~76) and dropped out for lack of funds, but went on to be a freelance photographer, doing mostly events coverage for a small newspaper and weddings.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s he worked in various technology jobs, including computer and electronic repair, software development and consulting.
He discovered his aptitude for teaching while working as a technician for a major telephone company (Bell Canada), where he had been asked to conduct a repair training seminar on some new equipment that was being introduced.
From 1982 to 1990 he was president of an R&D and consultancy startup that developed computer hardware and software and consulted to the hospitality industries.
In late 1990 Stephen relocated to Japan and has been a photographer, commercial artist/designer/illustrator and technology consultant.
He has been a lecturer (imaging technology & visual design production) at an art college and continues to do consulting, lectures and workshops on various subjects, including photography, business management, technology, language, health, nutrition and Latin dance. He teaches in both English and Japanese.
He enjoys playing the piano, blues harmonica and singing. He is also an avid salsa dancer.
He currently lives in Shizuoka City, Japan.
