These days I go by several titles: wilderness photographer, landscape photographer, portrait photographer, wedding photographer, location scout, commercial photographer, explorer, author, ultra-marathoner, wanderer and probably one or two others. We all have bills to pay, but to be honest I thoroughly enjoy all of my current roles. I never enter into any venture that I'm not willing to dedicate myself to. Since I've reached a lot of new people in the last few months, I thought I'd use today's post to tell you a little about me.

From Little Acorns...

A few years ago, I was working in a different state, mostly in an air conditioned office. A number of life lessons had led me to question what I was doing with my life. To cut a long story short, my wife and I formulated an escape plan and we eventually started a new life in the mountains.

Photography had often been a small part of my job, and like most people I had owned cameras since I was a kid, but I hadn't taken it seriously until my fascination and passion for wilderness coincided with a new camera and an idyllic vacation in the Rockies. A little honest encouragement is a powerful thing, and  with a lot of dedication, hard work, sacrifice and experience I crafted a new career in photography.

A Day in the Life

With my mix of skills and interests, there is no typical day. My favorite days are always spent in the forest with a camera, a few miles from the nearest trail. I still spend a lot of time at a computer, only now I process my images, maintain my website and send emails to potential clients. On other days, I'll ditch the olive drab for something a little more presentable and meet clients for portrait or even wedding work. These can range from an hour to 8 or even 10 for an extravagant wedding. Two other vital ways to spend my days up here are training and relaxing (even photographers need a day off). It's important to not neglect the body and mind, especially when I work mostly alone and need to be able to hike in terrain that most people wouldn't attempt. A photographer needs to have his or her head in the game when shooting, whether the subject is a bear or a wedding party.

Why Buy From Me

I always dislike this kind of question, because ego is the last reason I got into this, so I'll just be honest with you. When you do business with me (whether it's a calendar sale or a wedding shoot), you're supporting the arts, a small business, and a small town economy. I live and work in Lake City and I volunteer my spare time to good causes (especially those related to wilderness). From The High Country is my livelihood, and there's a little piece of me in every book or private gallery. I shoot for the love of the art form, not fame and fortune (but there are always bills to pay).

Every image of mine undergoes rigorous inspection. If I'm not happy to attach my name to an image, it goes in the trash. Similarly, every page of a book or calendar has been hand-selected. I design all of my products available for sale, because I want the customer to have something unique that was fully designed (and of course shot) here in the mountains. I want you to know that I personally did everything except print it myself!

When I work directly with a client, whether I'm location scouting or have the privilege of documenting a Lake City wedding, I'm careful to fully understand your needs. I work by the same demanding standards that I would expect as a client. I like to get paid, but the satisfaction of my clients is even more important to me.

Do I work on special projects? Most definitely. Some of my regular services began as special projects. If you're looking for a certain scene, size or format, let me know. I work with trusted suppliers to deliver virtually any type of print, and I can shoot certain scenes by special arrangement if I don't already have the perfect shot.

Want to learn more? Read about my latest product range here (or try my new Etsy store here) and my range of services here. You can contact me directly here.