For a career I chose "doing technical things".  After attaining a BS in Physics and MSEE in Computer Science, I worked in software development 26 1/2 years before retiring from Hewlett-Packard in 1999.

Weekends and vacations were spent hiking, canoeing, bicycling, x-c skiing, camping, backpacking...  My love for the outdoors started as a Boy Scout, and has continued to grow ever since.  I fell head-over-heels in love with mountains the first time I came to Colorado, and have lived here continuously since 1975.

Artistic expression came initially through music.   I became a folk guitarist  in college, and continued to play for fun and at church for over 25 years.

Around 1982, I discovered photography, or photography found me - I'm not really sure which.  Photography was a natural extension of my outdoor activities,  technical enough to be interesting (especially with an old timey wooden camera), and the opportunity for artistic expression goes without saying.   No longer pulled in three separate directions, the pieces came together.  I started a part-time photo business in 1993, went full time in 1999. 

Until 2005, I used a large format field camera almost exclusively.  The choice of Ansel Adams and many of today's landscape masters,  it's large film size (4"x5") and additional focus controls allow sharper, clearer photos than possible with 35mm.   And the aesthetic feel of the wooden body, leather bellows,  brass knobs,  ground glass focusing ... - it's indescribable!  The large canvas Giclee's I produce from these images have a real WOW! factor.  They always attract a lot of attention at galleries and art fairs.

In late 2004, I got a digital SLR to "play with".  It was a LOT lighter than the 4x5 and MUCH less expensive to operate.  I started carrying it to "scout locations", and noticed I was taking a lot more photographs, going further into the back country, doing more backpacking - and not doing much with the 4x5.  Hmmmm.... I had some prints made, and they were pretty good in smaller sizes.  Still, the best of my digital photos could not compare with the best of my 4x5 images, and could not be printed as large canvas Giclee's - which have become my pride and joy, (and a huge part of my business!) What to do?????

At this point (Feb 2008), I have decided to pursue two paths. 

I want to see how far I can go with digital photography .  I purchased a new Digital SLR which will allow larger prints, and a photo quality inkjet printer.  I have been learning Photoshop and Lightroom, and am starting to produce my own prints (the quality is getting pretty good if I do say so myself!)  I'm adding digital photos to my website, galleries, and art fairs.  I will take Digital SLR trips with the clear intention of getting superb digital photos, whether they are potential 4x5 locations or not. The best of these photos will be posted regularly on my web site, but not all will be in galleries or at art fairs.

Second, I will continue to take 4x5 images.  When I find a worthy location, I will return with the 4x5, multiple times if necessary, until I get the photo I'm after.  A few each year will be added to the Fine Art Collection on my web site and will be taken to galleries and art fairs.   These will continue to be printed by Fine Print Imaging and offered in limited editions on both canvas and Fuji Crystal Archive paper.

My overarching goal remains the same - To combine my love of the outdoors with my technical and artistic skills to create works of art that show how beautiful and wonderful nature can be.  On another level,  nature provides my respite from the stress of modern living – soothing my psyche, uplifting my spirit.  Perhaps my photos can bring some of these qualities to an office or home environment - maybe trigger fond memories and the sense of peace, calm, and wonder that go with them.  A way to share what speaks to me .......

      Enjoy!!

         Jack Cooley

Special thanks to my wife Jill, whose love for the outdoors if anything exceeds my own.