Born and raised on the Space Coast of Florida, I ventured to Alaska in 2011 to work as an engineer at Fort Greely after graduating from the University of Florida with a M.S. in Mathematics. I quickly developed a keen interest in exploring Alaska’s backcountry, especially the glaciers and alpine terrain of the eastern Alaska Range less than an hour’s drive from my house in Delta Junction. My photography hobby slowly transformed into a more serious pursuit as I was introduced to the amazing sights and limitless adventure of Alaska, and I became a professional photographer in 2016. I’ve since become a professional guide & author as well, writing about my Alaska adventures for Alaska, Last Frontier, and Backpacker.

I create the majority of my images while hiking, backpacking, skiing, snowshoeing, and paddling around Alaska. There are simply too many people who photograph bears, calving glaciers, and Denali from Wonder Lake for me to feel like I'd be contributing anything special by taking those generic Alaska shots any tourist can take. Instead, I prefer to explore off the beaten path, hiking up ridges or crawling under glaciers to find terrain and vantage points that other photographers haven’t. In the course of my human-powered adventures, I’ve photographed underexposed places like Black Rapids Glacier, the volcanic backcountry of Katmai National Park, the Brooks Range, remote areas of Denali National Park, the Hayes Range, and more. I’ve shot the aurora from a mountain ridge seven times now and counting. I’ve camped overnight on a mountain at 25-below-zero for an epic winter sunrise shot of Denali, and I’ve hiked closer to the mountain on foot than any other photographer I know. Photography has provided great motivation for me to explore new places on the map and challenge myself against Alaska, and my greatest pleasure as a photographer is inspiring others to do the same.

I invite you to read through my blog posts where you can learn more about the adventures behind my photography. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any inquiries or feedback.

— Steven