My Story
I grew up in a military family, living in many places in the United States and overseas. In 1975 I came to the Pacific Northwest to attend Western Washington University, where I earned a BA in history, and more importantly, met my future wife.
After living in West Germany for three years, we settled in Olympia, the state capital, where we raised our two children. Now retired after 30 years of Washington State government service, I now devote myself solely to photograph, bringing what I find "out there" to you, the viewer.
Lou at Neko Harbor, Antarctica. Photo by Marc Muench.
Why I Make Images
I explore life through photography. I’ve always made pictures, inspired by my artist mother to draw as a boy, then turning to photography in my teens. While largely self-taught, I’ve learned valuable lessons over time from many accomplished photographers in workshops, lessons that have made me a better photographer and artist.
My subject matter is the natural world of landscapes and wildlife, and the human world of architecture, culture, and travel. My family background and own wanderlust have led me to many places in the United States and other parts of the globe. Photography has taught me to see and celebrate both the uniqueness and universality of all things. It has never given me pat answers, but consistently poses good questions.
In addition to making my own work, I donate my photographic skills to my church, and serve on the board of Refocus, a non-profit photography organization in Olympia that promotes photography for self-expression and community connection.
I shoot with Nikon cameras, Nikkor and Tamron lenses, neutral density and polarizing filters, and Really Right Stuff camera support. I edit images with Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop, and print them myself on an Epson inkjet printer with archival materials. Large or metal prints I entrust to NW Fine Art Printing.
I’ve shown my work publicly in solo and group exhibitions since 2005. In 2017, I began exhibiting at juried shows, and completed a two-week visual artist residency program at Mineral School, an arts non-profit in Mineral, WA, near Mount Rainier.
Aside from this website, my work can be purchased at local and regional art exhibitions, the Washington State capitol gift shop, and the National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud, Nebraska.
Thanks for visiting my website! Please tour the galleries and my blog posts, and sign up on the Members page. I welcome your comments and questions.
Artist Resume
Speaking Events
Voyage to Antarctica:
2020
Mountaineers Club - Olympia Branch & Seattle Branch (May 6 & 13)
Olympia Senior Center (February 12)
REI Olympia (January 23)
2019
REI Olympia (November)
Mineral School, Mineral, WA (June)
Benefit for Refocus, Olympia, WA (May)
Residencies
2020
Artist-in-Residence, Homestead National Monument, Beatrice, Nebraska (April)
2017
Visual Artist-in-Residence, Mineral School, Mineral, WA
Books
2020
Wilderness of Ice: The Antarctic Peninsula & South Shetland Islands, 91 photographs, 110 pages
Solo Exhibitions
2020
Venice in Black & White, Batdorf & Bronson Coffeehouse, Olympia, WA
2017
Olympia Arts Walk LIV, g. miller, Olympia, WA
2013
Black & White Landscapes, Olympia Coffee Company, Olympia, WA
2008
Copper Moon Massage Therapy, Olympia, WA
Bryce’s Barber Shop, Olympia, WA
Bella Italia, Downtown YMCA, Olympia, WA
2007
Gull Harbor Mercantile, Olympia, WA
2005
Olympia Arts Walk XXXI, Copper Moon Massage, Olympia, WA
Group Exhibitions:
2019
Oh Snap! A Community Photography Show, Washington Center, Olympia, WA
Arts Walk Juried Art Show, Olympia Arts League, Olympia, WA
2018
Grayscale: A Picture Show, Black Box Gallery, Portland, OR
4th International Phone-ography Exhibition, fotofoto gallery, Huntington, NY
Arts Walk Juried Art Show, Olympia Arts League, Olympia, WA
2017
SW Washington Juried Exhibition, Viewer’s Choice Award, Minnaert Center for the Arts, South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
3rd International Phone-ography Exhibition, Juror’s Mention, fotofoto gallery, Huntington, NY
2011
Olympia Arts Walk XLII, Fusion, Olympia, WA
2008
Olympia Arts Walk XXXVI, Fusion, Olympia, WA
2005
Olympia Arts Walk XXX, Fusion, Olympia, WA
Photography Education
2018
Muench Workshops: Antarctica Expedition
2017
Muench Workshops: Italy - Venice and the Dolomites
2015
Summit Workshops: Summit Nature Photography, Jackson, WY
2005
Rocky Mountain School of Photography, Photography Weekend, Seattle, WA
2004
RMSP: Introduction to Adobe Photoshop, Portland, OR
2000
RMSP: Olympic National Park: Pristine Wilderness, Port Angeles, WA