Leonard James

It’s hard to say exactly when the photographer’s “eye” took root in me, except that it came at a totally unexpected time. While serving in the Marine Corps in Viet Nam, even in the midst of chaos, I was immediately struck by the natural beauty of the country. On R&R in Hong Kong, I bought my first camera and started taking pictures, and I didn’t stop. I had discovered my passion for photography.

After returning home to Southern California I realized I wanted to take more than just snapshots. I wanted to learn the art and craft of photography and take photos like those I admired in National Geographic. I began my craft education with photography classes at Cal Poly Pomona and various photography workshops, as well as classes at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif.

I have always wanted to capture the story as well as the image behind my photos. I started photographing cityscapes, seascapes and friends at parties and events. I even had an opportunity to photograph The Jackson Five as they visited the USO in Hollywood and an Aretha Franklin rehearsal in Santa Monica. I visited national, state and local parks and became more interested in photographing the natural world.

My hope is to bring the viewer into the scene – to stand there with me and see the beauty of the ordinary world in the moment I was able to capture how extraordinary it is.