CHESNEE, SC -- David Allio will mark his 25th Annivarsary as a professional photographer in 1999. Beginning in 1974, Allio has traveled to 46 states and three continents on assignments.

"It has been a great 25 years," Allio said. "Thanks to photography, I've been able to see a great deal of our nation as well as several foreign countries. I cannot imagine living my life without photography."

Along the way, Allio has amassed a stockpile of over 300,000 images. The subjects range from high-speed motorsports to glamourous portraits of the famous and not-so-famous. Many of his images have won awards.

"I've won so many different photo awards I've lost track," Allio admitted. "The awards and recognition are nice, but it takes consistent results to maintain a 25-year career. I've worked hard, but I've also been fortunate."

Allio was married in 1977. He and his wife, Lin, have two teenage children, Michael and Linsay. In addition to his Eagles Nest studio in Wise, Virginia, David currently maintains an office near Spartanburg, South Carolina.