Ira Kaufman was born in New York City in 1954.  He began taking photographs at age thirteen.  After graduating from New York University's Institute of Film and Television, Ira worked in Manhattan as a film editor of industrial and documentary films.  His first documentary won first prize in The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Documentary Film Competition.  After changing careers in his late twenties, Ira remained devoted to still photography.  He has exhibited in solo and group shows on both the East and West coasts.  Recently, Ira's images have been exhibited at Photolab Gallery in Berkeley, California and at Photo Gallery in Oakland, California.  Today, Ira's photographs are primarily constructed realities, playfully mixing aspects of sculpture, painting, and photography.  He lives in New York City.