About

Roots in the West

My love for photography began with my father, a devoted outdoorsman who filled my childhood with camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing trips. He shared with me his passion for photography, and the old slides and prints from our adventures left a lasting impression.

My father passed died young and I moved to my uncle’s cattle ranch in Kalispell, Montana, age 11, —growing up fast in big sky country.

Life in the skies

After graduating from the University of Utah and commissioning through Air Force ROTC, I earned my silver wings as a U.S. Air Force jet pilot. A Canon AE-1 film camera, gifted by my uncle and aunt, became a constant companion throughout my service and remains in my collection today.

I flew missions across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific, and was later selected to serve as the personal pilot aboard a one-of-a-kind EC-135Y airborne command post for Marine General George B. Crist, commander of all U.S. forces in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. I concluded my military service flying the KC-10 Extender wide-body jet.

I then began a three-decade career as an airline captain and served in management as a flight operations manager, and supervisor of pilots. During that time, I also built a fly-fishing and outdoor guide business and pursued ski racing along with mountain and road bicycle racing. In 2020, when the pandemic forced my airline into bankruptcy, I chose early retirement to devote myself fully to the art and craft of photography.

Artistic Journey

Since founding Park City Photography in 2003, I’ve sought to grow not only in lenscraft but in spirit. A 2015 graduate of the New York Institute of Photography, I’ve drawn inspiration from the great photographic masters—Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier - Bresson, Sebastião Salgado, David Muench and more recently Guy Tal. Their works remind me that photography is part of a tradition seeking personal truth, beauty, and meaning.

During my airline career, I was and still passionate about art. I often planned trips and layovers around museums and photographic exhibitions. Those quiet pilgrimages, repeated over three decades of flying continue today, and influence my vision as much as any classroom course or photographic symposium .

Recognition and Service

Travel, study, and competition have also marked my journey. I’ve been fortunate to receive recognition in international competitions, juried museum exhibitions, and state fairs. Today, I serve on the Board of Directors of the Intermountain Professional Photographers Association, where I enjoy giving back to the craft that has given me so much.

Final thoughts

For me, photography is about more than making images. It is about telling stories, honoring wild places, and creating art that speaks to the soul. My goal is to bring natures beauty, peace, and a sense of connection into the spaces where you live and work.

—David James Winegar