ABOUT PETER JAMES
From the moment he got his first camera at age 14, Peter James has been on a constant quest for beauty. His deep love of nature provides constant creative inspiration, and he loves spending as much time as possible outdoors exploring and documenting the most beautiful places in Washington State.
Peter studied the technical aspects of the photographic arts throughout high school and college before leaving Michigan in 1997 for Colorado where he opened his first studio. But he longed to find a home that combined the majesty of the mountains with the lakes and water he grew up with, so after an epic 3 month tour of the western United States, he put down roots in Bellingham, Washington in 2002 where the forest and snow covered mountains tower over the lakes and sea.
On most photo trips, Peter travels in his truck camper and drives to his destination the night before so he can spend the whole day out on the trail. His days are spent scouring the landscape for inspiring vistas with fantastic foregrounds and he is particularly fond of photographing reflections on water. Sometimes he’ll capture great color and light mid-day, but more often the best light is near sunset or sunrise, which leaves him hiking in the dark to be in the right spot at the right time.
When he can, Peter also loves backpacking which affords the opportunity to sleep much closer to his remote wilderness subjects and get spectacular images that would be impossible to get otherwise. It also means carrying 40 lbs of camping gear plus 20 lbs of camera gear, so he maintains a year round physical training program to stay ready for even the most challenging adventures. It’s truly a labor of love, and there is nothing more rewarding for him than getting to share these beautiful reminders of how blessed we are to live on this astonishing planet with you.