Thunder Cloud Images of Bozeman, MT

Throughout several careers as a law enforcement officer, attorney, rehabilitation counselor, magistrate and university professor, I have seen how life can change in sudden and unpredictable ways. And I’ve come to appreciate the value of a professional photograph.

We now have the ability, using cell phones and pocket cameras, to instantly capture moments we want to remember and that is a great result of our new technological capabilities. BUT… there is something very different and deeply special about a professionally created portrait. When a photographer creates a setting and takes the time to honor your uniqueness and lets your true spirit shine, that image goes beyond a mere photograph and brings out the soul and personality of the subject, whether that is a person, a family or an animal.

Have you ever walked by a portrait of someone that stopped you in your tracks and made you feel that you could identify with that person or that you knew something about their personality just from looking at their picture? That’s my goal when I conduct a portrait session – to bring to light the true spirit and life in a person, an animal or a family and capture the deep connections between each subject in the image. These are the images that bring comfort and inspire even after the subject is no longer alive.

A portrait session with me is relaxed and not time-limited. People often feel nervous about having their picture taken and some people really hate it, so we just take our time and leave room for fun. Things naturally relax when there is time to allow that to happen and when people don’t feel they have a short space of time to get that perfect picture.

It seems everyone is rushing around these days…. A session with me will not be that way. I have a nice quiet studio in a secluded location with mountain views, so both outdoor and indoor shots are possible in most weather conditions. If you have a location you prefer, I am happy to meet you there instead to incorporate a place that is special to you. Either way, we will make sure there is plenty of time and space for you, your companion animal and/or your whole family to have a relaxing and enjoyable portrait session.

A note about my wildlife images…

I care very deeply about the animals I have photographed and I feel very strongly that wildlife photographers bear a tremendous responsibility to protect and honor the animals in our images.  We must respect not only the animals but their environment.  I believe that any attempts to alter a wild animal’s normal behavior potentially endangers that animal.  I try never to infringe upon an animal’s flight distance.  If you care about someone, you don’t want them to be afraid or stressed.  Personally, I would rather miss the shot than upset an animal to get a particular photograph.  Wildlife photography requires much patience and many long hours of waiting for the right shot with a good telephoto lens.  I have spent hours taking hundreds of photographs, none of which I was really happy with, but it is such a privilege to be in the presence of wild animals that just being there is reward enough.  It has been my experience that if you are truly respectful and you’re willing to wait quietly for long enough, animals will approach you, and if that enables you to get that “perfect photograph”, then it is a gift that the animal offered to you.