Pat and me at North Window Arch in Arches National Park, Oct. 2018
At Falling Springs Falls, Covington, VA
Bio
I was born in Northfield, Minnesota but have lived in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA area most of my life. After graduation from the College of William and Mary, I earned a Masters degree in social work and began a long career in the health insurance industry, from which I recently retired.
I'm a fourth-generation photographer and have been an avid hobbyist for over forty years. I first became serious about nature and wildlife photography in the early 2000’s when a pair of eagles began nesting at Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Over the next few years, my interests expanded to include other types of birds and animals, and I began annual trips to Florida and other locations where wildlife is abundant. In recent years I have further expanded the scope of my work to include interests in landscapes (including use of infrared light), the night sky, fishing piers at sunrise, and old cars.
Over the last few years, I also became interested in digital photo post-processing and began to incorporate the use of various commercial filters, textures, and techniques into my work to create unique images that allow me to provide my own artistic interpretation of a scene or subject.
My favorite photographic locations include Virginia Beach, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Shenandoah National Park, and various sites in Florida and the Southwestern US. In developing my photographic skills and artistic “vision”, I’ve been fortunate to have had the opportunity to receive instruction from some leading professionals in the field, including Denise Ippolito, Gary Carter, Matthew Studebaker, Tom Till, and Arthur Morris.
I completed a month-long solo art show at the Virginia Beach Central Library Art Gallery in November, 2018 as the result of a juried competition. In February, 2021, I presented a "virtual" art show, "The Art of Bird Photography" at the request of the VB Library Art Gallery which is posted on the Va. Beach Central Library web site and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_-EVoTGUJ8
I have also presented solo exhibits at the VB Bayside Branch Library in August and September of 2019 and in April of 2021. Recently, I was one of five artists asked to contribute 4 works to a group art show, "Five in February" at the VB Central Art Gallery that ran in February, 2022.
I currently live in Virginia Beach with my wife, Pat, who has been a wonderful partner as I have sought to expand my image portfolio, and who was present when many of these images were made. My family also includes my daughter, who is, herself, an excellent photographer, two step-daughters, and six wonderful grandchildren.
To see more of my work, please visit my Instagram site at:
https://www.instagram.com/scottyoungimages
