Ruth Ann's Bio

I am originally from New York, but have lived in the west for the past 41 years. I've been doing photography since I was 12 years old and studied at Otis Art Institute and with a Hollywood portrait photographer (Albert Duval) and a nature photographer (George Lepp) as well as taking photography courses at college. I continue to study because the science of photography changes almost daily.

With the advent of digital photography everything changed in the photographic world. I was fortunate in that I had extensive computer knowledge, making the transition to the digital concept easy for me.

I began a professional photography business in 1985 and at that time did primarily agricultural photography, including cattle shows, 4-H, FFA, Junior Rodeo, and Professional Rodeo events. After locating on the Central Coast I became more heavily involved in nature photography, which is now my specialty.

Along with photography I have been a long time birder. I am a member of the National Audubon Society for the past 33 years and have served on the local Morro Coast Audubon board of directors. I have been the official photographer for the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival since its inception and I was recently appointed as Publicity Director for the festival.

For the past ten years I worked very closely with the Morro Bay National Estuary Program. My photography has been featured at their Nature Center in Marina Square and has also been featured in most of their brochures and publications. My photographs are also featured on area interpretive signs in Morro Bay, Avila Beach, and the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve in Cambria.

I am now a freelance photojournalist writing nature and travel articles for both local and national publications and online publications and services.