About

Roots in the West

My love for photography began with my father, a devoted outdoorsman who filled my childhood with all things wild and free, and a deep love of photography. He died young and I left home at age 13 to live as a hired hand on my uncle’s cattle ranch in Kalispell, Montana. I grew up quickly in big sky country, roping and riding. I loved the ranch life of self sufficiency, resilience, hard work, and a deep respect for the land.

Life in the Skies

After graduating from the University of Utah and commissioning through Air Force ROTC, I earned my wings as a U.S. Air Force pilot. When I left for pilot training, my uncle gave me a Canon AE-1 film camera — a gift that traveled with me throughout my service and remains one of my most treasured possessions.

During my service in the United States Air Force, I flew missions throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific. I was honored to be selected as a pilot assigned to four-star Marine General George B. Crist, transporting him, his battle staff, and State Department officials across the Middle East and Southwest Asia. I concluded my Air Force career flying the KC-10 Extender.

After the military, I spent three decades as an airline pilot while also building a fly-fishing and outdoor guide business. I also enjoyed downhill ski racing, road and mountain bike riding and racing. In 2020, when the pandemic forced my airline into bankruptcy, I chose to retire early to focus fully on my photography business.

Artistic Journey

Since founding Park City Photography in 2003, I’ve continued to grow both technically and creatively. I graduated from the New York Institute of Photography in 2015 and have drawn inspiration from masters such as Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sebastião Salgado, David Muench, and Guy Tal.

Recognition and Service

I’ve been grateful to have my work recognized in competitions, museum exhibitions, and state fairs. Today, I serve on the Board of Directors of the Intermountain Professional Photographers Association, teach photography with lectures and private lessons and enjoy supporting the photographic community. That said, I have a lot to learn.

Final Thoughts

I am grateful for the life I have lived and for the many blessings along the way.

I hope my photographs bring a little of the outdoors inside and perhaps inspire something within those who see them. It would be an honor to create something special for you — a limited-edition piece, personally signed, and shaped by everything I have learned through the years.

— David James Winegar