Welcome,
I'm thankful you are here !
In my younger days, the only camera around our house was a Polaroid—the kind that produced a photograph right before your eyes. I was often fussed at for wasting our precious film by taking pictures of frogs, squirrels, or anything else in nature that caught my attention.
I was raised in a hunting and fishing family, where I learned that success requires patience and an understanding of the habits of the creatures you are pursuing. The eye of a hunter translates naturally to the camera, especially when your goal is to capture a special moment in the life of a bird, bear, butterfly, or any other wild creature. The true reward comes from sharing that image in a way that makes others feel as though they experienced the moment with you.
Our family moved around quite a bit, living in California, Texas, Georgia, and Alabama. At a young age, I joined the United States Marine Corps. While stationed in Japan, I purchased my first quality film camera—a Minolta SRT-101.
Film photography was always an adventure. I would send the film away to be processed, and by the time the photographs came back, I had often forgotten what you had taken pictures of. Opening that envelope was like reliving each moment all over again.
Eventually I grew up and life took me in many directions. My work has taken me throughout the United States and to places such as Brazil, South Korea, Africa, and several other parts of the world.
The greatest lesson I have taken from my travels is that there is stunning beauty in every corner of our planet. It can be found in the grandeur of the mountains, the salt air drifting across a beautiful beach, and the wonderful, innocent wildlife with which we share this Earth.
It can also be found in people.
I have been blessed to meet people from nearly every walk of life and from many different cultures. I truly give my heart, respect, and love to them all.
If my photography can bring peace, joy, or love to even one person, then I consider myself a success.
With all my heart,
Steve Cole
