Our Top Instructors


Rich Wagner 

Rich Wagner is the Senior Advisor to AWAI's Turn Your Pictures into Cash: AComprehensive Course in Taking and Selling Amazing Photographs.

He began his photographic career in college as a freelance photographer for Pittsburgh newspapers. After graduation, photography remained a hobby during his 20-year career in retail, and in 1984, Rich opened a custom framing and fine art gallery. His current shop, Imagine It Framed, recently had the honor of being designated as one of "America's Top 100" custom framers by Décor Magazine. 

While attending professional photography seminars in New York City, Rich shared his photographs with well-known professionals who encouraged him to show his work. This led to several exhibits in the region. Currently, his work is in private and public collections all over the world. His images hang in public corporations and private foundations from San Diego to Boston and in homes from the Americas to the Far East. He began shooting digitally in the late 90's and since 2001 has worked almost exclusively in that format.

The beauty of the Farmington Valley, where Rich lives with his wife and five daughters, and the excitement of New York, his previous home, are the sources of most of his photography. Travels and workshops throughout the country have added to his collection of images. Everything from the rich colors and broad landscapes of the southwest, to street studies in the Little Havana section of Miami have been captured by his lens.

Featured Articles including Rich Wagner

Rich Wagner is also a contributing author to each of these programs:

Efrain Padro

Efraín M. Padró is a full-time professional photographer specializing in nature and travel subjects. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Efraín has photographed in such diverse locations as Perú, Argentina, Chile, Morocco, Mexico’s Baja California Sur, Holland and Puerto Rico. Efraín’s work has appeared in Outdoor Photographer, Frommer’s Budget Travel, Geographic Expeditions catalogs and other publications, and he is the author of The Photographer’s Guide to New Mexico. He also teaches photography and Legal Issues for Digital Artists at various New Mexico schools. Efraín is a former member of the Board of Directors of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). He currently lives with his wife Cathy in Santa Fe, New Mexico. To see more of Efraín’s work please visit www.padroimages.com.

Featured Articles including Efrain Padro

Efrain's advice for breaking into magazines and stock agencies is also found in each of these programs:

 

Shelly Perry 

Shelly is originally from Portland, Oregon, Shelly Perry's specialty is in people photography, what she calls documentary or lifestyleportraits. She is known especially for her imaging of children. Her concern for people is reflected both in her sense of purpose and the images she produces. Her images have been seen all over the globe on music CD covers, books, magazines, catalogues, websites, ad campaigns, and even on TV. Her work has also appeared in several local exhibits and gallery shows.

Shelly is also the editor of AWAI's weekly photo tips.

Featured Articles including Shelly Perry:

Shelly Perry is also a contributing author to each of these programs:

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Neils Johansen

When Niels Johansen received a camera at age 15, he soon realized that he had also received the long-awaited missing link. As a teen, Niels was already 10 years into a career as a concert pianist, dominating piano competitions throughout his native country Denmark. Even then, however, he was frustrated with the short-lived impact of his art. Says Niels: As an acoustical artist I always felt handicapped by the fact that my audience would lose the experience of my art only moments after a concert. Once my hands left the keyboard, my art had essentially vanished. I remember the envy I had for painters in that their feelings and expressions were manifested on a media accessible at all times- the canvas. Niels soon realized that the camera allowed him the same presence as a painting. With the camera, he was immediately able to transform creations of harmonies, moods and balances into spaces, shapes and colors. Moreover, because Niels had been raised on a farm in Denmark, he had a special connection with nature. This, in conjunction with his propensity for details as required by his music, inspired Niels to capture those unexpected moments and effectively preserve them. Without question, Niels had found the missing link.

Today, Niels Johansen lives in South Florida and photographs for special assignments. His works spans over portraits, fashion, fine arts, product and architecture.

Danny Warren
Danny Warren, a part-time professional stock photographer and part-time environmental scientist.Danny grew up tromping through the forest and scrambling over mountains in the Pacific Northwest. And it didn’t take him long to start bringing a camera to document his adventures. He specializes in outdoor recreation and travel photography and will show you how you too can combine your hobbies and passions with photography and transform them into a fun and lucrative career or side career.

To date, Danny’s images have been used in Outside Magazine, msnbc.com, nationalgeographic.com, Footprint and Fodor’s guidebooks, national advertising campaigns, book covers, and many other publications.

 

Andrea Gingerich
Andrea Gingerich is a self-taught photographer with a background in ecology and natural resources conservation. Her interest in the sciences is often reflected in her photography. She hopes to continue working as a naturalist, using photography as a tool for environmental education. When not crawling around on the ground to photograph plants, Andrea can be found exploring abandoned places and talking to strangers. She has an interest in photojournalism that reflects the interactions and impacts that humans have on the natural world and each other.

Andrea’s images have appeared throughout the world in publications such as Outdoor Photographer, Photoshop Creative, Photoshop User, Rolling Stone, and MacWorld. Other media outlets include the Tyra Banks show, Oprah’s website, movie posters, and packaging for various products.