"The myth is that you capture lightning in a bottle..." -Chris Rainier-
“He was born in Spain and died in France, he was not scared of baggy pants.”
-Guy Clark, from “Picasso’s Mandolin”
That’s the most succinct biography I know.
Me? I was born in Texas and grew up living in a 40’ x 8’ green Vagabond trailer all over the American West, wherever there was oil. A lot of those “wherevers” came very close to being “nowheres”:
“We moved somewhere to somewhere
in the Dakota badlands at the worst
time of year, straddling the yellow
line to keep from losing the road,
behind a periodic phantom, the “wide load”
danger that was our trailer.
I watched the truck driver park
and unhitch us. His breath swirled as he cursed
the mercury congealed below
zero so far exact degree
didn’t matter. Mother sat in the car with me.
In the wind and winterdark
my father turned on the heat…
on tv a blizzard of snow…”
-From “Frozen Turtle” © 1988 Rodney Gene Mahaffey
When I was twelve, my parents bought a not-to-be-ignored-pink house in Casper, Wyoming. I grew up there and after accumulating a truncated alphabet of degrees, returned to home to teach high school English, journalism/photojournalism and creative writing for thritysomething years. I also ran a small wedding/portrait business. My wife and I retired in 2012 and moved to Denver to be with our sons, their wives, and the pending grandchildren.
My mother always had a camera, a Kodak Brownie, which she eventually gave to me when she traded up to the latest: a Kodak Pocket Instamatic. For my 21st birthday I bought myself a Minolta 101 (also Annie Liebowitz’s first camera); starting reading every photo mag on the newsstands; purchased my first photography book ( Edward Steichen's "The Family of Man") and the rest as they say… I was a Nikon guy for nearly 40 years, trying both Bronica and Contax medium format systems along the way. My first digital camera was a little 4 MB Canon point-and-shoot. Some of my favorite images were taken with that camera. Sometimes equipment doesn’t matter.
Today I shoot Fujifilm cameras and lenses and print with Epsons. Sometimes equipment matters.
I do photography every day…some days photography does me.
Most Current Activity
“Tabor Center, Denver”/ Cover image for Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC) 2020 calendar.
"Peggy's Cove, Prince Edward Island" in member slideshow for CPAC & ASMP PhotoVox.
(December 2019)
20 images from "Interim: Haiti Between Elections" in member slideshow for CPAC PhotoVox.
(July 2019)
“Tabor Center, Denver” (from "Built: Seeing Architecture") selected for Special Mention for CPAC’s 2019 Annual Member’s Show by Juror Kat Kiernan founder and editor-in-chief of “Don’t Take Pictures and director of Panopticon Gallery (Boston). Photograph featured in website slideshow and included in exhibition catalogue.
(July-5-August 10, 2019)
"Holy Ghost Church" selected for Y/Our Denver juried online architeecture show, a collaboration between CPAC and the Denver Architecture Foundation (DAF).
Juror Smantha Johnson, Executive Director of CPAC.
(October 26-December 31, 2018)
"Rural Route, New Mexico" published in Santa Fe Photographic Workshops Catalogue. (Summer 2018)
2o images from "Built: Seeing Architecture" in member slideshow CPAC PhotoVox. (July 2018)
“Sayla Vee, Colorado” 2017 Single Image Contest Winner/Music/Sports/Dance Category,
Black & White Magazine Special Issue #119. (February 2017)
(B&W) Prints from "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea:the People of Northern Honduras". Presentation and print share for the first CPAC PhotoVox program with fellow presenter Terry Ratzlaff. (January 2017)
“Demolition, Denver” and “Selvin Lopez, Vallecito, Honduras” accepted to CPAC’s Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition 2016/Juror Tim Wride, Curator of Photography at the Norton Museum of Art/”Demolition, Denver” Honorable Mention for Best of Show. (August 5-27 2016)
“The Lion, Denver, Colorado” selected for online gallery and exhibition catalogue for PhotoPlace Gallery “Up Close and Personal” exhibition/ Middlebury, Vermont/ Juror Kathleen Clemons.
(May11-June 3 2016)
“Heavy Orchids” Silver Selection for Online Gallery/ North Valley Art League (NVAL) 2016 International Juried Photography Show/ Juror Jack Fulton, Professor Emeritus, San Francisco Art Institute.
(May 3-June 4 2016)
“The Artist’s Proofs” (Selected Prints) in Art4<$100 Exhibit & Sale at the Oz Gallery/ Thornton Arts and Culture Center, Thornton, Colorado/Curator Linda Mansager Lowe. (December 2015)
“Modern Lines 2” received Special Mention for inclusion in the exhibition catalogue for Colorado Photographic Arts Center ‘s (CPAC) 2015 Annual Member show/Juror Katherine Ware, Curator of Photography at the New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe. (July11-August 22 2015)
“Interior, Fairmount Mausoleum” Grand Prize winner/ Doors Open Denver 2105 Photography Competition/ sponsored by The Denver Architectural Foundation and Mike’s Camera. (June 2015)
“Duomo Evening, Florence” selected for Online Gallery and inclusion in exhibition catalogue for PhotoPlace Gallery “The Golden Hours: Dawn and Dusk” / Middlebury, Vermont/Juror Eddie Soloway. (June 2-26 2015)
"On Highway 1, California" Gold Selection for the North Valley Art League (NVAL) 2015 Juried Photography Show at the Carter House Gallery, Redding, CA/
Juror Thom Sempere, Executive Director of PhotoAlliance in San Francisco.
(April 28-May 30, 2015)
"Best Out West, Sheridan"/"Sunset, Shirley Rim"/"Car #1, Bosler" donated to the silent auction for the Photogtraphy Department at Stivers School for the Arts, Dayton Ohio. (January 2015)
"The Lion, Denver, Colorado" in Animals/ "Dia de Muertes, Denver, Colorado" in Music/Sports/Dance/"On Highway 1, California" in Landscape/Nature all received Single Image Awards from Black & White Magazine, published in the Single Image Contest Winners Special Issue #107.
(February 2015)
Photography Education
"Introduction to Processing and Printing" at University of Wyoming.
(Summer '88)
Nikon School of Photography, Denver, Colorado
(April '99)
Contax "Secrets of Photography" Seminar, Boulder, Colorado (April '00)
"Digital Photo Solutions"/Ed Pierce Seminar in Denver, Colorado
(March '03)
"Adobe Photoshop Intensive" with Jerry Courvoisier
at The Santa Fe Photography Workshops
(April '08)
"Rocky Mountain Photo Adventures" with Weldon Lee
at Estes Park, Colorado
(October '09)
"Studio and Location Porttraits" with Bobbi Lane
at Northwest Community College
(May '10)
"The Natural Eye" with Eddie Soloway/
The Santa Fe Photography Workshops
(July '10)
"The Photographic Life/The Life of a Photograph" /lecture by Sam Abell
at Northwest Community College
(September '10)
"Museum Standards 101"/workshop with Jessie Paige, Gary Reed and Rupert Jenkins
at Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC).
(February 1, 2014)
"A Complete Guide to Portfolio Reviews" workshop with Brenda Biondo and Rupert Jenkins
at Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC).
(January 20, 2015)
Since January 2017 I have been attending (almost faithfully) the PhotoVox monthly series at CPAC,
a program designed to help photographers "Strengthen your artistic voice with the support
of other photographers and artists in the Denver Metro community.
Three sessions per year are dedicated to portfolio sharing.
Workshops Taught/Lectures
I taught journalism and photography for 16 years at Natrona County High School, Casper, Wyoming.
Photography workshop for Walsworth Publishing: Processing and Printing. (Fall '90)
Photography workshop for Walsworth Publishing: Processing and Printing. (Fall '92)
Photography workshop for Walsworth Publishing: Photographic Composition/
and Designing a Publications Staff Handbook /session for advisers. (Fall '93)
Understanding Exposure: Photography Workshop for the 1995 Wyoming High School
Student Press Association State Conference. (October '95)
MetaComposition: Photography lecture/slideshow for KWHS Digital Photography classes
(October '09)
Five Easy Pieces: an Introduction to Digital Photography/ five week/2 hour class
for KWHS faculty and staff. (March-April '11)
Five Easy Pieces: an Introduction to Digital Photography/ five week/2 hour class
for NCSD#1 faculty and staff. (October-November 2011)
(Don't) Just Point and Shoot: Essentials in Digital Photography/ 3 workshops
for the 7th graders at DCS Montessori School in Pine Castle, Colorado. (November 2012)
(Don't) Just Point and Shoot: Photography Essentials and Introduction to Portrait
and Landscape Photography.
Presentation for 9th-12th graders at Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts (MESA)
in Thornton, Colorado. (November 2014)
"Hungry Eye: My Life in Photography" slideshow/presentation for middle school photography students at DCS Montessori School in Castle Pines, Colorado. (November 2018)
Photography Awards/Publications/Exhibitions
Come to Casper for Your Kids’ Sakes: photographs for NCSD #1 publication.
(Spring 1992)
"Prairie Woman" accepted to Photo Biennial '94 exhibition
at the Westport Arts Center, Westport, Connecticut;
jurored by Larry Silver and John Craig/ Melissa Harris, Juror of Awards.
(September 23-October 16 1994)
"Twin Buttes" accepted to
From Sea to Shining Sea 1995: Images of the American Landscape
at the Snowgrass Institute, Cashmere, Washington; jurored by Alan Moen and Susan Kidd.
(November 25-December 10 1995)
"Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colorado"and "Parched"
in 1996 Wyoming Works exhibition at Nicolaysen Art Museum/ Casper, Wyoming/
jurored by Kathryn Mallory, Gallery Director at the University of Montana.
(May 11-July 14 1996)
"April Snow", "Rural Route", and "Red Buttes" in One Day in the Life of Wyoming,
sponsored by the Casper Artists' Guild/ jurored by Mike Keogh and Adam Jahiel.
(July 8-July 31 1996)
"Dunes at Ferris"; "Arches, NYC"; "Haystack #1, Medicine Bow" in Images 1997,
sponsored by the Casper Artists' Guild/Awards Judge Devendra Shrihande.
(January 7-January 29 1997)
"Hat Six Road"/ "Storm and Sunflowers" in Wyoming Works, at Nicolaysen Art Museum;
jurored by Gordon McConnell, curator of the Yellowstone Art Center, Billings, Montana.
(June & July 1997)
3rd Place Faculty Division ($500) for "Shells" in 1999 Black & White Print Competition,
sponsored by Eastman Kodak and the Photo District News (August 1999).
Published in PDN (September 1999)
"Black & White" donated to the Associate's Auction/ at Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, Montana.
(November 1999)
"Holy Places" published in Shutterbug Magazine. (June 2002)
"Selected Images from This Place on Earth: the Wyoming images"/ solo photography exhibition
at Metro Coffee Company/ Casper, Wyoming. (August 8-Sept. 5 2005)
"Running Bear, YNP" (photograph)
Postcards from the Wild Wild West/Nicolaysen Art Museum/ Casper, Wyoming.
(April 2007)
10 images donated to silent auction for Schools4Schools/Invisible Children Program
at Kelly Walsh High School/ Casper, Wyoming. (February 2008)
"Flora 1", " Flora 2", "Flora 3" in Postcards from the Wild Wild West/
Nicolaysen Art Museum/ Casper, Wyoming. (April 2008)
"Door #1, Santa Fe" donated to KWHS for Cinco de Mayo Key Club fundraiser.
(May 2008)
"dix jours: France 2008" /solo photography exhibition at Metro Coffee Company/ Casper, Wyoming.
(October 2008)
"Flora"/"San Miguel Church" published
in the Santa Fe Photography Workshops 20th Anniversary Calendar. (December 2008)
"Taos", "Ranchos de Taos", and "Blue Door #2, Taos Pueblo" in Postcards from the Wild Wild West/
Nicolaysen Art Museum/ Casper, Wyoming. (April 2009)
"Boys of Summer Past" and "Sequoia National Park #3"/Merit Awards in
Color Magazine Single Image Contest 2010. (Published March 2010)
"Boys of Summer Past" in Wyoming Art for the Cure. (April 2010)
"Liberty 2, NYC"/"Flat Iron 2, NYC"/"Imagine 2, NYC"
in Sensational Small Stuff at the Nicolaysen Art Museum. (April 2010)
Participating artist in "20/20" sponsored by the UW Art Museum
in conjunction with the Wyoming Arts Council. (April 2010)
"Young Aspen" in Santa Fe Photographic Workshops e-newsletter. (September 2010)
"Prayers for Healing, El Santuario de Chimayo" and "Buddha's Blessing, the Great Stupa at Red Feathers" in Religion at the Corridor Gallery/Casper, Wyoming. (December 2010)
"Wolf Hotel, Saratoga" selected for gallery showing for The Poetry of Shadows exhibition at
The PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont/
Juror Christina Z. Anderson. (August 13-September 10 2011)
"Green Doors, New Orleans" donated to Sensational Small Stuff 2011
at the Nicolaysen Art Museum. (April 2011)
"le Château, Bruniquel" selected for the online gallery of The Language of Light exhibition
at The PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, Vermont/
Juror Paul Paletti, founder and director of Paul Paletti Galleryin Louisville, Kentucky.
(March 29-April 23 2011)
"Sad Flowers, Big Tesuque" published in the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops
Summer/Fall 2011 catalogue. (March 2011)
"Prayers for Healing, El Santuario de Chimayo" donated to Wyoming Art for the Cure 2011.
(April 2011)
"Grand Lake Series #14" selected for Art Along the Parkway 20011/
Jurors Sharon Merchat, Fred Taraba and E.K.Wimmer. (October 2011)
"Glacial River #3, British Columbia" selected for the On the Road:Travel Photography exhibition
at The PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont/Juror Sandra Chen Weinstein.
(January 17-February 11, 2012)
“Young Aspen, Big Tesuque, New Mexico” selected for The Four Seasons Photography Exhibition at
The PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont/ Juror David Middleton.
(February 14-March 10, 2012)
"Boys of Summers Past" selected for Looking Back: the Art of Nostalgia Exhibition at
The PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont/Juror Mary Ann Lynch.
(August 13-September 6, 2013)
"Last Leaves, Colorado”/”Stars, Old North Church, Boston/ “Les étapes, Bonguil”
included in "Through Our Lens" exhibition at the Oz Gallery/
Thornton Arts and Culture Center, Thornton, Colorado/ Curator Linda Mansager Lowe.
(March-April 2014)
“Les étapes, Bonguil” selected for "The Art of Travel Photography" Exhibition at The PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont/Juror Kurt Mutchler (National Geographic senior editor).
(June 2-June 27, 2014)
"The Geometry of Light: Italy 2014" solo exhibit (41 images)
at the Oz Gallery/Thornton Arts and Culture Center, Thornton, Colorado/
Curator Linda Mansager Lowe. (July-August 2014)
"The Geometry of Light: People's Choice" solo exhibit (21 images)
at the Thorton City Hall complex/Business and Development Hall/
courtesy of Oz Gallery/Thornton Arts and Culture Center, Thornton, Colorado/
Curator Linda Mansager Lowe. (September-December 2014)
Selections from "This Place on Earth: the Wyoming Images" in Art4<$100 Exhibit & Sale
at the Oz Gallery/Thornton Arts and Culture Center, Thornton, Colorado/
Curator Linda Mansager Lowe. (November-December 2014)
Photography Organizations
Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC)
Member/Volunteer since 2012
The Center for Fine Art Photography (C4FAP)
Member 2013-2018