About
My dad gave me my first camera when I was six. I worked my way through college shooting weddings and after graduation took a job as a backcountry ranger for Mt. Rainier National Park, documenting changes in the natural environment. In the late seventies, I had the privilege of assisting Ansel Adams for three years at his Yosemite workshops. That's where I learned the power of the photograph. Shortly thereafter I enrolled in Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA to nudge my career towards documentary/editorial photography and cinematography. My stories have been used in numerous publications including Harley-Davidson®HOG, New Mexico Magazine, Associated Press, MSNBC, NPR, and are syndicated nationally and internationally by Redux Pictures in New York.
Working in unique and remote locations is my speciality. To create an aerial perspective I am licensed by the FAA to operate drones in the national airspace including FAA section 333 and part 107 certification for commercial filming.
Understanding the importance of education at an early age, part of my journey has always included teaching workshops. Having the opportunity to share the wonder of making images with students nationally and internationally is always an honor.
I am a descendant of the Wicocomico Tribe, Taptico family. A strong belief and respect for Mother Earth and all creatures is the continual theme in how I see the world. In 2003 my wife, Nancy, and I founded Naamehnay Project-Question of Power, a Federal 501c3 non-profit. Our non-profit work focuses on creating a visual voice for Native American Homelands and Sacred Sites impacted by energy industrialization in America.
be strong, be safe, Carlan
BTW: I can be found riding my iron pony on two lane highways across the American Southwest telling the stories of people, places and the landscape.
2 Lanes 2 Wheels 2 Weeks is a collection of five cross-country motorcycle road stories I wrote and photographed for Harley Davidson’s HOG® Magazine. Running north and south and east and west across rural America on forgotten highways, the stories capture the diverse people, places and history. All five stories are written journal-style as I recorded my day-to-day experiences on the road. Available on Amazon for Kindle, tablet and phone here: 2 Lanes 2 Wheels 2 Weeks
