WLM | my Wyoming craving
WYOMING PH
That Gives Back
T
ake a look at Lander-based Brian Zinke Photography and you’ll
appreciate an innate drive to give back. A Kansas City native who
has lived in Wyoming for about two years, Brian’s ties to the land go
beyond capturing beautiful images. With 15% of proceeds going to support
conservation, research and outdoor education, it’s clear that this is more than
just stunning landscape and wildlife photography. This is a mission. In part
one of a two-part series on not only Brian’s photography but also his work in
Wyoming, we asked him about his philosophy’s roots and future. Read on,
and be sure to find his contact info at the close of the article, where you can
bring it home to adorn your wall and give back to our earth.
WLM: What got you into photography?
BZ: I just always liked taking pictures. I liked documenting places I’d been,
things I thought were interesting, or the people I was with. I used to take
disposable cameras on vacations, camping trips, to concerts - pretty much
everywhere. I guess you could say I’ve upgraded equipment a little bit since
then (laughs). But I think it boiled down to capturing memories. I wanted to
be able to go back and relive those times and moments in my life.
WLM: Are there any photographers (contemporary or historical) that
inspire you? Any non photographer artists?
BZ: I suppose it depends how you define artist. There is a show called
Treehouse Masters. Basically, these guys build amazing treehouses for clients.
It’s one of those shows that is meant to be entertaining, but there is more
to it than that. Why do so many people want treehouses? They want to be
as close to nature as p