George L. Ackley

 Inspired by my grandmother 's photography , my father naturally became an avid shutterbug. I recall countless evenings watching slide shows of the big '64 earthquake in Anchorage and photos from travels all over the world.

With my first film camera in 1977, a Canon AE-1, I had no real "defined" interest, but won a contest for two photos, one in color and the other in B&W.  Next, I digitalized with Nikon and moved into pro-level bodies .  Today, I shoot mainly landscape , but enjoy the difficulty of capturing wildflowers along the trail, wildlife or the odd, unexpected surprise. Hiking and traveling with my gifted friends, Ron and Judy, has improved my work due to their valuable feedback.  Ron, with Judy, are masters of bringing photos to life.    

My latest subject  has been The San Juan Islands, mainly Lopez. With two amazing guides, Greg and Jamie, we crisscross the islands with our cameras  and encourage one another.

The scene for the photo "Spot the Eagle", highlighted in the Seattle Times, "Readers Lens", July 28th, 2013, was pointed out to me by Greg.    

Without Mrs. Ackley, none of this would be possible. Shelby patiently stands by as I compose an image, holds dinner until the sun is gone and loses me for hours as I work on images.

I am currently working on a new coffee table book and greeting card sets of the San Juan Islands and wildflowers.