about Don McGowan...
Don, a native Georgian, became a professional nature photographer in 1994 when his work was judged "Best of Weekend" at a Great American Photography Workshop in Gatlinburg, TN. Prior to that time, he had been in traditional business and pursuing photography as a personal hobby -- combining it with his life-long love of nature, hiking and backpacking.

Don's transition into full-time professional photography included brief stints in studio photography and photo-journalism until he became the Staff Photographer for Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1998. During his 4-year tenure there, he photographed the beauty of the Park and chronicled many activities and events of the National Park Service employees in both North Carolina and Tennessee.

Don's portfolio includes not only Smoky Mountains photography; but hundreds of images from his many tours of the Northeast, Southwest and Western United States. His photographic images have appeared on National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps, in product packaging, and in a variety of print media such as: Outdoor Photographer, Georgia Journal, Blue Ridge Country, National Parks Conservation Association, and Smoky Mountain Living magazines.

In 2003, Don began the America the Beautiful Photography Workshops Company, based in Canton, North Carolina, to provide in-depth nature photography programs in scenic locations across the country. In 2006, he, along with Nancy Rotenberg and Les Saucier created Photography with Heart Workshops: Walking in Beauty. In addition to these hands-on programs, Don is also a guest instructor in Nature Photography at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina; the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; and the CraftSummer Program at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

For more information on photography opportunities with Don, check the Workshops and Tours schedule or contact EarthSong Photography at the following:

Telephone: (828) 235-0974 or cell (828) 788-0687 or E-Mail: don@earthsongphotography.com

If you are visiting Western North Carolina, you can find selected photographic prints from Don's portfolio for sale at the Twigs & Leaves gallery, 98 North Main Street, Waynesville, North Carolina.