For over 40 years, Earl Nottingham has been telling the story of Texas and much of the American Southwest through his photography and is considered one of Texas' preeminent photographers. As an accredited Master Photographer, his work has been featured in numerous regional and national publications such as National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian Guide to America, Texas Monthly, Texas Highways and Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine; as well as gracing the walls of homes and corporations. His videography earned him a Region Emmy Award in 2019. With an entire state as his studio, he travels to every corner to document its landscape, people and historical treasures. He shares his love of photography and its constantly changing technology by teaching workshops to individuals and groups as well as writing about photographic topics.

Trained in traditional film and darkroom methods, Earl still enjoys the organic nature and requisite craftsmanship inherent in shooting with medium and large format film cameras. However, he also embraces the current digital technology for the creative possibilities it affords in sharing his vision including the use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for aerial photography and cinematography. As a licensed aircraft pilot for many years, he feels that the current drone technology provides a new perspective for capturing the grand landscape.

After high school, he attended the Art Institute of Atlanta, worked for the local newspaper and subsequently earned his bachelors degree in Photography from East Texas State University in 1978 where he was honored at the top student cinematography film editor in the country by American Cinema Editors (ACE Eddie Award).

In the following 15 years he operated a successful freelance business and gravitated toward shooting outdoor related assignments. In 1996 he took the helm as chief photographer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department where he served for 25 years until 2021. Now retired from TPWD, he continues to shoot professional assignments, teach workshops and speak before photographic groups.

His book, titled “Wild Focus - Twenty Five Years of Texas Parks & Wildlife Photography”, is available now at Amazon.com and Texas A&M Press. https://www.tamupress.com/book/9781648430015/wild-focus/

Please visit the galleries below to see Earl’s photographic eye at work!