The Ark
SUBSCRIBE
The Ark
SUBSCRIBE
SECTIONS
TiburonBelvedereStrawberryElection 2026El NiñoColumnsBusinessSchoolsSportsEntertainmentEventsObituariesPublic NoticesAround TownVisit
SUBMIT
Letter to the editorAnonymous news tipCalendar eventPaid obituarySports scoreMilestone or achievementBiz Buzz announcementChalkboard announcementEngagement or weddingBirth announcementPet remembranceGenerosity blurbCorrection request
ADVERTISE
Advertising guidePublic notices & legal adsClassified adsServices guide
EVENTS
Tiburon Peninsula eventsRegional community calendarSubmit a calendar eventLibrary calendarChamber calendar
AROUND TOWN
Ferries, meetings and eventsVisitor guideEmergency preparednessPublic meetingsTiburon Peninsula eventsGolden Gate Ferry scheduleAngel Island Ferry scheduleRoute 219 scheduleTown of TiburonCity of BelvedereBelvedere’s public lanesReed Union School DistrictBelvedere-Tiburon LibraryThe RanchStrawberry Recreation DistrictTiburon Peninsula Chamber of CommerceBelvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
ACCOUNT
SubscribeLifetime subscriptionActivate your accessDigital replicaUpdate contact infoSubscriber helpNewsletter signupDonate
EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS

A photographer’s second act after leaving TV behind

Arthur Drooker, 71, left three-decade TV career at 50 after father's death to pursue photography.

TYLER CALLISTER / THE ARKArthur Drooker, 71, pauses during a bike ride at Shoreline Park in Tiburon Sept. 17. The Mill Valley resident is a former Los Angeles TV writer and producer who transitioned to fine-art photography at age 50 and regularly bikes through Tiburon to photograph scenes along the bay.
Tyler Callister
By TYLER CALLISTER · 1 min read

At 50, Arthur Drooker’s life took a dramatic turn. His father had recently died, and his three-decade career as a Los Angeles TV writer and producer was getting stale. He longed for something deeper.

Dooker says his next choice was the best decision he ever made.

“I realized if there’s anything I really want to do with my life, I’ve got to do it now,” says Drooker, who stopped to chat Sept. 17 while on a bike ride at Shoreline Park. “And I was always a very self-motivated guy, but I was even more motivated now. And that’s when I decided, ‘What makes me happy?’”

For Drooker, now 71, the answer was photography.

Read the complete story in our e-edition, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

Comment on this article on Nextdoor.

A version of this story appeared in the Sept. 24, 2025, print edition of The Ark. See something wrong? Request a correction.
Recent Stories
Tiburon, Belvedere brace for El Niño, king tides Tiburon, Belvedere, Strawberry voters are weighing eight local contests, four local measures Nine-townhome plan for Point Tiburon clears key hurdle after three rejections Tiburon sailor’s America’s Cup campaign reaches the big screen Reed Union schools to develop age-based framework for screens, AI
In print every Wednesday
Front page of The Ark, Wednesday, October 28 Oct. 28, 2026 E-EDITION
The Ark in your inbox

Local news from Tiburon, Belvedere and Strawberry, delivered by email.

Support The Ark’s commitment to high-impact community journalism.

The Ark, named the nation's best small community weekly for 2026, is dedicated to delivering investigative, accountability journalism with a mission to increase civic engagement and participation by providing the knowledge that can help sculpt the community and change lives. Your support makes this possible.

SUBSCRIBE Make a contribution