Nature has always been the biggest influence in my photography. I was raised to appreciate the outdoors and treat it with respect, an idea that has grown into a strong purpose behind my photography. Even though nature photography just fits well with my other interests like backpacking and hiking, I shoot landscapes to capture the beauty of nature so that others may appreciate it the way I do. I hope that through my pictures, my viewers will gain more respect for our natural world and strive to preserve it. Although I have done portraits professionally, my real passion lies in landscapes, so that is where I now devote my energy.

Most people I run into assume I use a lot of Photoshop to get my images looking the way they do. The truth is, though, none of the images you see on my site or blog have ever set foot in Photoshop. In fact, I only use Photoshop on my images for 2 things: prepping them for print and merging composite panoramas. I never remove elements from my shots, combine multiple images, airbrush, dodge, burn or otherwise alter my images. And, I have never done a single HDR (High Dynamic Range) image. I do make some adjustments to my shots in Aperture (by Apple) in order to get them to look like my old favorite film - Fuji Velvia, but these adjustments are very minor and could actually be done in-camera (I just prefer doing it in the computer). My rule of thumb for adjusting my images in the computer is "Don't do anything I couldn't have done with film."

The work of world-famous adventure photographer Galen Rowell has made a huge impact on my photography. Although I can't say I had the pleasure of meeting Galen before he passed, his work has and continues to shape mine into what you see today. I also admire the work of Thomas Mangelsen, Art Wolfe and Peter Lik. All of these artists have served as inspiration in my art form, in business and in philosophy.

I picked up my first SLR camera at age 12 (year 1999) and have pursued photography with gusto ever since. I have about 6 years experience shooting film exclusively (slides and negatives) and over 9 years experience with digital. I have been shooting with a digital SLR exclusively since 2006.

I've been shooting professionally for over 5 years with professional experience in nature, landscapes, portraits, fine art, greeting cards, writing and assisting. I am a published photographer and writer with my work appearing in:

• Outdoor Photographer (cover and article)
• Best Easy Day Hikes Orange County (cover)
• Coast Magazine (cover)
• OrangeCounty.com Magazine (cover)
• Travel + Leisure Magazine
• Runner's World Magazine
• OC Weekly
• Oh, Ranger! Website
• BedandBreakfast.com
• Various other websites

I currently photograph nature and landscapes exclusively while I continue teaching private lessons, classes and online courses.

You can read more about my training and history at the About: Nick Carver page. You can also learn more about me, my photography trips and learn some quick photography tips in a more candid setting over at my blog. You may want to check out my Facebook page, as well.

I've been teaching photography professionally since late 2008 with experience in private lessons, leading outdoor photography workshops and giving seminars in a classroom-type setting. I have taught classes at the Irvine Fine Arts Center in Irvine, CA; Shutterstories in Riverside, CA; and the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, CA. I have led outdoor workshops in places like Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove State Park, San Onofre State Park, Chino Hills State Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and more.

Here are some statistics regarding my experience as a photography instructor:

• Over 1,100 hours of private lessons delivered
• Over 200 previous private lesson clients
• Over 150 hours classroom instruction delivered
• Dozens of photography workshops delivered throughout Southern California