Artist Biography:

I have been very lucky. Since the age of 16, I have known that I was meant to be a photographer. I came to this realization during a photography class at Wilson High School, and from that moment on, I worked to turn that dream into a career. I studied commercial and fine art photography at Blue Ridge and Northern Virginia Community Colleges before taking additional classes at Virginia Commonwealth University.

My photography career began more than 40 years ago at King Photo in Waynesboro, Virginia. From there, I spent several years as a lab and store manager for Ritz Camera before moving into photojournalism, working for the News Leader, the Augusta Free Press, and other publications. I eventually started my own photography business, photographing weddings, family portraits, and just about anything else that called for a camera. As my career evolved, I transitioned into full-time corporate photography, working with the incredible people at Augusta Health, Trophy Club Consulting, various real estate professionals, and other clients.

Throughout my career, photography has given me the opportunity to document people, places, and moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. It has also allowed me to give something back to the community I call home.

Many years ago, when the Wayne Theatre sat abandoned and slowly decaying, I volunteered my photographic expertise to support its revival. I was fortunate to work alongside a dedicated team of people, documenting the theater's reconstruction and eventual reopening. As part of the revitalized Wayne, Liz Moss curated an art exhibition inspired by the theater, and I was honored to display some of my photographs.

Now, ten years later, I am once again honored to exhibit my work in the Wayne's art space. For this exhibition, I wanted to undertake a project that would challenge me creatively while allowing me to explore a place I have long appreciated. The result is Project 61, a photographic journey through Shenandoah National Park over the course of a year. The title reflects my age, 61, when I made most of these photographs.

My goal was to capture as much of the park's diversity as possible throughout all four seasons. I wanted to photograph more than its celebrated mountain vistas and sweeping landscapes. I sought out the smaller details, too: the flora and fauna, the changing light, the textures and colors of the seasons, and the occasional signs of human presence. Each visit offered something different, reminding me that even a familiar place holds endless possibilities for discovery when we take the time to look closely.

After more than four decades behind the camera, I still find joy in the process of observing, exploring, and capturing a moment in time. Project 61 gave me the opportunity to slow down, reconnect with the natural world, and see Shenandoah National Park with fresh eyes. I hope these photographs share some of that experience with you and perhaps inspire you to pause, look a little closer, and discover something new in a place you thought you already knew.

I could not tell the story of this project without acknowledging my best friend, my muse, my better half, and my wife, Margaret. She accompanied me on early-morning photo shoots, packed my lunches, shuttled me around the park, helped with editing, and continually encouraged and supported my work. In a thousand big and small ways, she made this project—and my life—richer. These photographs may be mine, but the journey was ours.

Photography has been my calling since I was sixteen, and I remain grateful for every opportunity it has given me to learn, create, connect, and share what I see with others.

I hope you enjoy these photographs as much as I enjoyed making them.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

— Mark Miller

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