I've always been an artist and a photographer. Got my first 35mm interchangeable lens camera when I was very young and learned the technique of film capture, developing and printing in the traditional darkroom of the late 1970's. It wasn't until quite a bit later in life that I began to really appreciate the outdoors. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest I suppose I took it for granted until I roamed and saw the world a bit more. Traveling, hiking, backpacking, climbing in the late '80s and early '90s, I became serious about capturing the rare moments I've seen in the wilderness when light and weather combine with other natural elements to create a transformative image. It became my life's greatest pleasure to seek out and photograph strange and beautiful moments to bring back and share. I try to do justice to nature's incredible gifts by doing the work to render what is offered respectfully, elegantly and, at times, dramatically.

During my lifetime I've witnessed an incredible evolution in the art of photography. The greater control over everything from processing of raw material, from scans of film to full digital capture, and the ability to produce high quality, long-lasting prints have been watersheds for me.

With experience I've developed a certain way of approaching a subject and some very definite ways of processing. I try to capture beautiful locations composed in my own way, always with attention to unsettled weather, fantastic light and atmosphere. I'm drawn mostly to the western US and Canada, and have a particular attraction to Korea, where I lived and worked many years ago and return to visit frequently.

My philosophy on making an image is that you can't get something from nothing, and doing justice to what you get requires some work and probably not just a little bit of obsessive compulsive disorder. I have spent a crazy amount of time and effort pursuing my passion. I am pleased to have won awards I'm proud of and gained respectful comments from great photographers I admire.

I've been happily producing and selling my own prints and framed pieces to clients through this website, at art shows and events, and in gift stores, mostly in my home state of Washington, for over a decade.

I license the rights to use my work. I've been published worldwide, including in Outdoor Photographer, National Geographic and Time/Life print and digital publications.

I also have the unintended distinction of having many of my images appear without my authorization all over the world. That said, I hold the exclusive copyrights to all of my images. You need to contact me to license the rights or otherwise use any of my work for commercial use. I often allow use for educational purposes or for causes I believe in, but please do me the consideration of asking permission first and attributing the work to me. I'm reasonable, but I've been burnt plenty. I will pursue my rights aggressively if needed.

I don't belong to a lot of professional organizations, but I've been a member of the North American Nature Photography Association, NANPA, since 2007. My images can be found with various awards in NANPA Showcase competitions and annual Expressions publication ever since.

I believe conservation of our natural heritage should be the priority of everyone who loves it and relies on it to do what they love. Please help preserve our wild natural lands. Support artists you admire because they need your help to continue to do work of value. And please leave the wilderness pristine for everyone and everything that depends on it.

-Geoff Schmid, Washington State, USA