My interest in landscape photography stems back to my high school years of skiing, hiking and fishing in the Sierra Mountains. It was during those years that I became influenced by the work of the late Ansel Adams and combined with my growing awareness of the beauty surrounding me, began photographing and printing my own black-and-white landscape images.

Photography as a career began for me with my graduation in 1982 from San Jose State University's photojournalism program. Although I originally focused on sports photography, a serious interest in photographing the landscape was rekindled once again with the advent of digital in the mid-90's. Photoshop allowed me creative control over my color images with even more precision than I had with my black and whites.

Lately I have transitioned even further into photographing the western landscape. I am blessed to live within short drives of the Monterey/Big Sur coast, Yosemite and the eastern Sierra. I spend many hours with my camera exploring these awe-inspiring locations. Furthermore, I have been pursuing my passion for teaching others as a guest instructor with the Gary Hart Photography Workshops as well as teaching many smaller digital landscape workshops for the past three years.

I have now designed my own premium workshops which will be held along the central California’s Big Sur coast, Northern Arizona (Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Sedona), and Redwoods National Park and Mendocino. Please click this link Workshops for more information.

I see a real connection between sports and landscape photography. I am not a passive photographer; I believe in pursuing the potential photograph as opposed to hoping the image will materialize if I simply wait long enough. Photoshop allows me the freedom to fine-tune my images the way my eye saw them and also allows me the control I once had in the darkroom (minus the smelly chemicals)!  I strive to make my images as natural as possible but I also allow my artistic "creative license" to come through my images.

I can often be seen hiking, climbing or running if necessary to get myself into position. I seek magic light and color in the majority of my images. Thus I work around the fringes of the day. A simple philosophy of mine is to seek the light first and find something within the landscape to match.

Currently I live in the Monterey Bay Area with my wife Beri and our two sons Rob and Aaron.