An outdoorsman with a thing for lighthouses, Joe Garza has been into photography since the mid ‘90s. The outdoor photographer travels 120 days a year and loves every minute of it. And it shows–his photographs take you on a journey from the East Coast to the West and from tropical paradises in Hawaii to snow-capped mountains in the Himalayas.
Join us as we take a closer look behind the lens and zoom in on the latest ArtisanHD Brand Ambassador.
Folly Beach fishing pier catches the first light as a surfer waits to catch the first wave. The waves crashed on the pier poles making it a dramatic water motion.
Joe on Finding His Passion
Born and raised in Westland, Michigan, Joe developed a love for the great outdoors early in his childhood, regularly camping with his sisters. Even back then, he was already running around with a small Polaroid camera that his parents gave him and he would take pictures of anything that looked good.
Although Joe’s always loved art and took a lot of art classes in school, his biggest inspiration came from being outdoors–going for a hike or a walk, rock climbing–anything that got him closer to nature.
“Outdoors is where my happiness is.”
– Joe Garza
Exploring New Lands and Starting New Photographic Adventures
Joining the Navy opened new doors for Joe as it gave him the opportunity to travel to new places, and his travels took him to a whole different level. As a veteran and an outdoor photographer, travel continues to be a major part of Joe’s life–personally and professionally. His most recent trip was to Mount Everest, where he joined a local organization in Madison that brought him on board to document the experience.
The Himalayan mountains in Nepal are simply mind blowing on so many levels. On my journey to Everest base camp I saw Ama Dablam standing at 22,349ft which is the jewel of the Himalayan range. This evening gave me a stunning sunset over these mountains.
Taking People on a Journey through Photographs
For Joe, taking people on a journey through his works is very important. While he wants to inspire others to see different parts of the world, it’s also about taking them on an emotional journey.
“I love being able to go out and create photographs that not only help people relive a memory of their childhood or when they took a family vacation to the Grand Tetons and they stood exactly where I was at…it hits home a little more for them and I think they have a lot more appreciation for it.”
– Joe Garza
In the Artist’s Own Words…
When is your favorite time to shoot?
I love the early mornings when it’s quiet and peaceful. Sunrise is the perfect time…not necessarily for sunrise photos but because of the early morning light. An hour/hour and a half after sunset is another favorite of mine. Mid-day is great when there are clouds, because a clear sky is kind of boring.
As I was driving around Aspen Colorado I found these aspen trees with the last light on them during sunset. The light was so soft it just made these trees just glow. I was a amazing site that only lasted seconds. Add this beautiful image to your home or office.
How do you choose your portraits?
I look at the overall landscape, composition, and lighting. I also try to understand what’s going to be the best viewing point from different angles. And of course, textures. I love having textures. If you can see the texture, people can virtually feel what that image looks like even without touching it. There should also be something unique and inviting to bring them into the image. I love sharing the stories behind the images, which also takes it to a different level.
Was there ever a time when you were surprised & excited by how a photo or project turned out? Describe it.
About 10-12 years ago, my son and I went up to Pt. Iroquois lighthouse in Michigan and we were trying to see if we could capture the Milky Way. I was blown away by how much more possibility there was and seeing the unknown…it was pretty powerful. We had an awesome time that night.
My son and I were driving to Point Iroquois lighthouse in the Upper Pennisula in northern Michigan in hopes to capture our first real Milkyway image. We were just blown away to see what our camera captured! Add this stunning image to your home or office
One of the most stunning fall color scenes I have ever seen. This mixture of aspen, pine trees and more stopped me in my tracks when I saw it. Colorado has some of my stunning fall color landscape I have ever seen. Obstacle Course is a must for any fall color lover.
The sky was filled with mint green northern lights throughout the entire sky as these snow covered pine trees looked like little statues over the Alaska landscape.
What advice would you give a creator/artist who is just starting out?
I would say dedication, exposure to what they’re working on, and marketing themselves as much as they can. It’s important that they create a brand for themselves instead of following a cookie-cutter style. That was one of the things I had to do at the start. I captured things locally but I ended up with the same photo that 50 other people already had. I had to figure out a way to differentiate myself from the photographers in my area. So my advice would be to offer something unique, something that’s different. Most importantly, not to lose the love for what you’re doing.
What are the characteristics of a quality photographic print?
Composition, lighting, colors, sharpness, and proper exposure are among the key elements. There has to be something inviting and appealing to the eye even if it’s just a leading line. All these key components make up the grand view of it to make sure that things are put together cohesively for a quality image.
On Working with ArtisanHD
What led you to Artisan HD?
Although I’d always printed on metal, I’ve always liked acrylic prints. And that’s what really drew me to Artisan–they have a wide range of different products and aren’t set on just one particular thing. So TruLife was a huge stepping stone for me, and once I started printing with them, it was kind of a game-changer. I was just out in Arizona last week and got to meet with Mike. It was my first visit there and I got a tour that set it more in stone for me.
Why do you continue to work with Artisan HD?
The biggest things are the customer service and how easy it is to use their website and load files. They’re very price-competitive within the market and they offer lots of perks to artists. Quality is definitely a major factor. Plus, I’ve never had any shipping issues. If I have a question, I know I can get an answer in an hour once I send them a message so…definitely top-class.
What advice would you give to other artists who want to create and sell quality prints?
I’d advise them to photograph things that they enjoy and love to photograph and brand themselves so their work stands out.
Having a platform like Artisan HD is also essential if you’re going to sell quality prints. If you go to Walgreens or Walmart, the quality isn’t ideal. If you want something quality, you want something that’s going to stand out to your potential customers and even larger companies. Outside of Artisan, for acrylic prints, I don’t shop anywhere else.
I love the old wooden fences that surround the Colorado landscape. This area in Telluride over looks the Mount Wilson vista with fall colors that surround it. This rustic country scene makes a beautiful addition to any home.
Here are some of my favorite acrylic images:
This surfboard fence is a classic scene in Paia on the island of Maui. A common site throughout the island shows the culture and history of a "Surfs Up" attitude.
This image was a just luck... I was sitting on the beach in Maui watching turtles come the surface for air. So I decide to take my drone out for a little scouting. I had always wanted a birds eye view of a swimming turtle in crystal clear turquoise Maui waters. Well here it is... Free Floating. Was stoked to get this beautiful image.
The iconic Memorial Union chairs catch the early morning sun burst thru it. These chairs are a iconic staple for the University Of Wisconsin college. These chairs are a stunning addition to any UW Badger fan!
While snorkeling at Honaunau Bay in Hawaii the water was so crystal clear. The tropical fish were everywhere including turtles. These yellow tangs which are a very popular saltwater fish for the home aquarium were in massive groups. I really loved this image and reminded me of New York city taxi cabs everywhere.
Waves crash against into lave rugged coast of the Western Side of the Big Island. The water fills the huge blow holes which makes a interesting water movement.
Deep in the San Juan mountain just outside of Telluride, Colorado the aspen tree groves are just magnificent with their rich yellow orangish color leaves. This small grove had the brightest white trunks I have seen. This is one of my favorite fall aspen tree images.
