Originally from New York, the eight-year Juneau resident spent much of his first four years in the state traveling back and forth to San Francisco State University pursuing a master's degree in communications, which he received in 1985. In 1972, he got an undergraduate degree in music from Stanford. Howe says he chose to photograph dogs in the back of trucks specifically because it's really typical of Juneau. "When I take pictures these days I try to limit myself to very narrow subjects in order to make myself look harder. By narrowing my vision, I clear my eyes, escape visual habits, see things I might otherwise miss; what are limits often become new windows. I chose 'Dogs in Trucks' because I think they're a strong symbol of Juneau, a town full of self-sufficient people who like animals and the outdoors." The use of infrared film may not be quite as common as seeing dogs in the back of trucks, but Howe chose to use the film for its unique properties. "I use infrared film because its revelation of otherwise invisible radiation helps remind me that the world is always inconceivably stranger than it seems." The film picks up rays beyond the normal, visible color spectrum the human eye can see. The freelance writer and photographer was a reporter and photographer for about five years in Baltimore and has done freelance work for Alaska, Outside and Audubon magazines. He's also done some camera work for KTOO-TV in Juneau, but he says he's basically self-taught. A participant in the Artists in Residence program with the Alaska State Department of Education, he is working on several book projects.