Sponsored by
Nikon Ambassador Moose Peterson
Bio: Moose’s lifetime passion for visual storytelling evolved into a business in 1981. His wife Sharon has been there from the start and together they have dedicated their lives to the educating the public for the protection of our wild heritage through his photography. In 2008 Moose’s passion for aviation took flight retaining the same goals of preserving our aviation heritage and celebrating our freedoms. Along the way Moose has been honored for his photographic passion: he is a Nikon Ambassador USA, recipient of the John Muir Conservation Award, Research Associate with the Endangered Species Recovery Program, just to name a few.
Moose was the creative producer/photographer of his acclaimed film: Warbirds and The Men Who Flew Them. He shares his knowledge through his writing, being published in over 143 magazines worldwide, author of 29 books including Takeoff and best seller Captured. One of the original Nikon shooters to receive the D1 in 1999, Moose embraced this new technology, becoming the only wildlife photographer in the world to shoot strictly digital in the early years.
Sponsored by
Nikon Ambassador Vincent Versace
Bio: Vincent Versace: is an internationally recognized pioneer in the art and science of digital photography. His passion for natural light photography is manifest not only in his work but also through his role as a creative and technical leader, contributing to innovative breakthroughs across the entire digital image value chain.
Vincent is one of Nikon’s founding Nikon Ambassadors and is considered by Nikon to be “one of the top photography artists and visual storytellers of this era. ” Vincent is a recipient of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award in Media Arts & Entertainment, the Shellenberg fine art award and is a member of the International Guild of Cinematographers. His work is part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of American History. He is the first American Photographer to have a solo show of his work at in the main gallery of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana in Cuba. He is the photographer of Immediate Assistants Medical Rescue Go Team. He was commissioned by the San Francisco Presidio Trust to create a body of photographic work to permanently capture this National Park and Historic Landmark.
Sponsored by
Nikon Technical Specialist Paul Van Allen
Bio: Paul Van Allen is an internationally published photographer and author. A Nikon employee for over 25 years, Paul is part of the Nikon Professional Services team. One of Paul’s skills on which Nikon has come to rely is his unusual ability to take extremely complex photographic technologies and concepts and distill them down so that they are easily understandable. He uses a mixture of images and humor to create and present entertaining and informative programs in his position at Nikon. Paul’s passion for teaching is only overshadowed by his lust for learning.
Having started his professional career as a staff shooter for a sports magazine, his recent photographic interest and specialties include wireless flash and Milky Way Landscapes, Portraits and extreme macro using focus stacking. Through personal projects and professional assignments Paul is extremely well versed in nearly everything Nikon. Nikon Ambassador, Vincent Versace may have described him best when he called Paul… “the Swiss Army Knife of Nikon”.
Sponsored by
Nikon Technical Specialist Jeff Mitchell
Bio: Jeff Mitchell is a photographer with nearly 50 years of experience and more than two decades as a member of the Nikon team. He leads photography workshops and expeditions in some of the world’s most inspiring natural locations, including many U.S. National Parks, the polar bear habitats of Churchill, Manitoba, and the dramatic landscapes of Patagonia.
With a background in teaching and decades of field experience photographing landscapes and wildlife, Jeff is passionate about helping photographers feel confident in the field, understand their equipment, and capture powerful images that reflect the beauty and excitement of the natural world. His focus is on working with energetic people to help create a path to insightful storytelling.
Sponsored by
Canon Explorer of Light Roberto Valenzuela
Bio: Roberto Valenzuela is a world-renowned fashion, portrait, and wedding photographer, celebrated for his dynamic artistry and practical teaching style. A Canon Explorer of Light, Profoto ambassador, and former classical guitarist, he channels creativity and precision into his craft. Author of the bestselling Picture-Perfect series and The Wedding Storyteller.
Roberto’s expertise has made him a sought-after speaker at global photography events, inspiring photographers to elevate their work to extraordinary heights. Roberto Valenzuela is widely considered one of the most influential photography educators in the world. Roberto Valenzuela is also the founder of The Photo Creators Conference, one of the leading boutique conferences in the United States.
Sponsored by
Canon Specialist Tyler Beck
Bio: Tyler Beck is a Canon Product Educator and has been shooting video for over 20 years. He loves to capture day-to-day life through photography and video from the day he picked up his dad’s camcorder to film his sister’s soccer games.
Tyler has been fascinated with the power of storytelling through video and is passionate about spreading the knowledge of how to capture memories that will live on through video.
Sponsored by
Sony Ambassador Scott Robert Lim
Bio: Scott Robert Lim is a Sony Artisan of Imagery, international award-winning photographer, and global photography educator specializing in environmental portraiture, creative lighting, and visual storytelling. He leads immersive photography workshops around the world, teaching photographers how to create extraordinary portraits in any location using natural light, flash, and innovative techniques.
A featured speaker for industry leaders including Sony and Adobe, Scott is passionate about helping photographers unlock their creative potential and consistently produce world-class images wherever they shoot.
Sponsored by
OM System Ambassador Cari Siebrits
Bio: Cari is a wildlife photographer based in coastal British Columbia, whose work explores themes of conservation, coexistence, and our connection with the wild world around us. Through her photography, she encourages others to reimagine their relationship with nature and discover that meaningful wildlife encounters can happen closer to home than we think. With a soft spot for the overlooked and misunderstood, she is drawn to moments that reveal the persistence of wilderness in everyday places - reminding us that we are not separate from nature, but part of it.
A recent award recipient in Canadian Geographic's Canadian Photos of the Year competition, Cari's work has been featured in print and digital outlets across North America. She is a member of the Canadian Conservation Photographers Collective. She regularly collaborates on conservation-focused projects with organizations like Parks Canada, Coyote Watch Canada, and the North Shore Black Bear Society, supporting initiatives that promote coexistence between humans and wildlife.
Sponsored by
Leica Ambassador Lauren Wells
Bio: Lauren is a freelance photographer and former corporate attorney who left an unfulfilling, 16-year career to follow her passion for photography. She is attracted to ideas and stories that display our commonalities as people; she believes human beings, are much more alike than they are different. One of her greatest joys is to make candid photographs of people, in which a single frame can tell a multitude stories.
Lauren’s photography has received several awards and has been exhibited at various venues around the world, including: the Museum of the City of New York, "The Fence" at Photoville, The Half King Photo Series, and Coolture Impact’s exhibit in Times Square, in New York City. Her work and interviews have been published in a number of publications, including the New York Times; La Repubblica, CBS News, The New Yorker, Slate Magazine, various street photography books, as well as in the documentary film “Fill the Frame.” Additionally, Lauren has lectured at institutions around the world, and developed and taught curricula for various organizations, including NYC Salt—a photography program for high school students from underserved communities in New York City.
Sponsored by
Panasonic Lumix Ambassador Ben Staley
Bio: Ben Staley is an Emmy winning Cinematographer, Produced, award winning Director and Photographer. If you asked Ben what he did for a living he’d probably just say “Professional Storyteller.” He’s carved out a respected career making independent films, commercials, music videos, documentaries, and television programs for Netflix, Discovery Channel, Nation Geographic, History Channel, A&E, Spike, Red Bull & Many others.
Growing up in rural Alaska without the luxury of electricity or running water Ben is “comfortable” in some of the most difficult and challenging environments on the planet. Ben has worked everywhere from the high mountains of Alaska and Peru to the deserts of the Middle East, the African Bush, the Jungles of Southeast Asia and the Amazon, and even into the very most remote and deadly corners of Northern Siberia.
Sponsored by
Tamron Image Master Hernan Rodriguez
Bio: Tamron Image Master Hernan Rodriguez, operates a successful studio in Santa Monica California, specializing in commercial and celebrity portraiture. He has photographed Luminaries in the music, sports, and entertainment arena. This including, Danny Trejo, Mario Lopez, Snoop Dog, Nelly, world champions Evander Holyfield, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson. His client base spans from ShowTime, EMI Records, Sony, NFL, Universal, SLS Las Vegas and Playboy.
Hernan has been featured in Rangefinder, Studio Photography, PDN, Digital Photo Pro and Photo Shop User. Hernan is the author of 75 Portraits, and is also an Adobe Ambassador, and Moab Image Master. His outgoing personality and fresh approach to imagery makes him a highly sought out conference speaker both nationally and internationally, teaching professional photographers around the world.
Sponsored by
Fujifilm Ambassador Aaron Anderson
Bio: Aaron Anderson Visuals began in 2009 with a camera, a speedlight, and a goal to create images people wanted to stare at—even if they weren’t sure why. That creative drive led Aaron to the Academy of Art in San Francisco, where they built a strong foundation in studio work, location photography, and post-production. After school, Aaron worked as a retoucher at Sugar Digital, gaining experience with clients including Coca-Cola, ESPN The Magazine, Tazo, Google, and more.
Today, Aaron is known for a distinct photographic and retouching style shaped by years of commercial, editorial, and creative work. Their client list includes brands such as Sony PlayStation, Monster Energy, KTM, Husqvarna, Rockstar Energy, Bosch Global, Tamron USA, Fujifilm USA, Oracle, Scholastic, and many others, with work featured in publications including Professional Photo Magazine, PDN, Asian Photography Magazine, Surfer, and Well + Good. Now based in the mountains of Colorado, Aaron continues to create imagery with curiosity, intention, and story at the center—bringing a thoughtful, cinematic approach to every project.
Sponsored by
Fujifilm Photographer Ritchie Roesch
Bio: Ritchie Roesch is a photographer, blogger, and founder of Fuji X Weekly, based near Phoenix, Arizona. With more than two decades of photography experience, Ritchie began with 35mm film before transitioning to digital and building a deep connection with Fujifilm X Series cameras.
Through Fuji X Weekly, Ritchie shares and develops Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes, helping photographers create distinctive looks in-camera while bringing together a passionate community of Fujifilm users. What began as a photography blog has grown into a widely used resource for photographers looking to explore color, contrast, and creative expression through Fujifilm’s in-camera tools.
Sponsored by
Sigma Ambassador Liam Doran
Bio: Liam Doran is an outdoor sports and adventure travel photographer based in Colorado. Liam's work covers all aspects of outdoor mountain life, including skiing, biking, trail running, fly fishing, as well as travel and lifestyle.
His images appear regularly in commercial advertising and in today’s top outdoor magazines including Powder, Outside, Ski, Skiing, Trail Runner, Mountain Magazine and more.
Sponsored by
