About me.
Hi, I'm James, a PNW-based fine art nature photographer, outdoor guide, and photography mentor. I create art that speaks to nature's raw powers and share my knowledge with other photographers looking to grow.
Two-year-old me gazed up in wonder… “Tree”—my first coherent utterance (say my parents)—marked the start of a lifelong connection with nature.
As a kid, I couldn’t wait for summer break when we’d leave the city for our mountain cabin. There, the lakes, forests, and wildlife offered ample exploration.
As the years went on, I spent much of my childhood exploring creeks, lakes, forests, and wildlife, forming a deep respect and reverence for nature.
And even though I liked to draw and paint, I never considered myself especially creative.
A lifelong love affair with trees.
An Anchor During Tough Times
My time in the military was exhilirating and character building, yet tumultuous and extremely stressful. I developed insomnia and negative thoughts and anxiety pervaded my identity. What was supposed to be a long career was now something I needed to get away from.
During that dark period, it was friends and nature that continured to provide me solace.
Fast forward to 2010, I left the military and was searching to find myself.
A Means to Creative Expression
I started a garden and saved up for my first DSLR to document the growth. I vividly remember those first moments. I was overtaken with the way that it allowed me to escape my racing thoughts and tune in to nature in ways I hadn't experienced before.
Even though I fiddled with the camera settings more than I clicked the shutter, that experience sparked a flame that altered the trajectory of my life.
I raced home to upload the images. They were terrible—underexposed, crooked horizons, missing subjects, blown highlights. What the heck? But that mix of thrill and disappointment planted in me an obsession to improve, and I've spent much of my free time since then experimenting and studying to do just that.
Chasing a Dream
I was hooked on nature + photography.
Three years later, my girlfriend (now wife) and I moved out to Seattle to pursue my passion for nature photography.
Surrounded by breathtaking views of water, giant trees and beautiful mountains, goosebumps are now a regular occurrence. I’m proud to say that my art has been featured in galleries and sold to individuals and businesses around the country. As you can probably tell, I also enjoy writing about photography and mentoring other photographers along their own journeys.
Just as it did when I was two years old, working amongst natural landscapes enriches my body, mind and spirit. And it is my goal to infuse my work with a richness that speaks to nature's raw powers and our primal, visceral relationship with them.
I'm continually humbled and motivated by how far I have yet to go.
Join me on the journey!
-- James Lorentson
