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Gifted, well traveled, philosophical and following her bliss. “ Do what you love and the money well follow” was seminal advice that proved true, coming from both Joseph Campbell and close friends.  Following, she embarked upon her third career becoming a successful professional photographer.  She is a PPA Certified Professional Photographer, Florida Master Photographer, FDPE, and PPA Photographer of the Year 2006.

Christine is of genuine frontier stock. Her great, great, great, great grandfather Lt Col Jonathon Hedges fought with George Washington at Valley Forge. Her Great-great-grandfather William Nathaniel Bell was one founders of Seattle, Wash in 1851  and signer of the Washington Territories. he and Arthur Denny built the coffin for the late wife of Chief Seattle, for whom the city is named. The neighborhood "Belltown" is named after the family. Now this is “selective history” she states. Remember lineage options increase geometrically with every generation.  Reynolds grew up in Spokane, Wash., to the east, "this was the center of Inland Empire” a vast space surrounded by mining, agriculture and timber. It had a leftover pioneer environment," she describes, "where there is still wilderness and many of the consequences of life were drastic. Many things that you do in error will kill you. If you fall through the ice, you die. If you get lost at night and it gets cold, you die. It's a very harsh environment, and consequently the people raised there have a very self-reliant, self-sufficient attitude."


"When I was younger I used be invited to go pheasant hunting," says the former U.S. Air Force captain. With my license in the field the real hunters could bag three more birds "One day we were working the dogs through a field and a bevy of quail took off. I shot and missed, the hunter next to me asked, 'which one were you aiming for?" I said, 'which one should I be aiming for? '. He said, “Just pick one”. I relate that to photography," Reynolds says. "When I teach, I use metaphors from my youth for example: 'If you don't see it, don't shoot it.' Now, that meant, 'don’t pull the trigger on something you are not sure is a target e.g. Please don't kill your fellow hunter, "But it's the same with photography: You just can't go and machine gun an area and hope to get a good picture. You have to aim for something. You have to see it in your mind's eye." This is called previsualation, it can be taught.

Reynolds used that attitude to make her way as a photographer. She took the long way. After graduating from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash., having majored in business with minors in aerospace and psychology, she entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant.  Serving for more than a decade as a flight commander, academic instructor and a flight instructor she resigned with many awards.


She went on earn an MBA from the University of South Florida, in Tampa, in 1982. From then until the late 1990s, she was a business consultant, both freelance and for such major corporations as Citicorp and Control Data Corporation. All that time  -- she was a photographer waiting to happen.

"My [late] father was a part time professional photographer,"  "He had a darkroom downstairs and I grew up with cameras all over the house. My first was an Exacta, a 35mm German camera without a light meter. The Panasonic Lumix LT1 works like an 35mm film camera with better metering, focusing and optics – it is very intuitive.  If you grew up with a film camera, the Lumix is easy." Panasonic’s LTZ3 is also great, very small and yet so good.


Reynolds' photographic epiphany rang twice. "I was working as a strategic planner, analyzing a business' processes and procedures, and providing analyses and options for them to go forward. One of these entrepreneurs said to me, 'You don't seem happy. Do something you love, and the money will follow." The other-shoe dropped when, after Reynolds had been downsized from a large non-profit corporation and was casting about for something new, "A friend said, 'you like photography -- why don't you try it?" The, business consultant Reynolds launched a photographic business, initially out of her house. That sideline later eased out her consulting work, and she became a photographer fulltime.

My clients come to me for impact full, quality images; many have tried to do it on the cheap first. My market is spread between; Commercial/Industrial events, products and people. Fine Portraiture on large canvases, Photojournalistic Weddings and Fine Art.  My fine art is currently featured in the Sunset Gallery in Harrison, ID.


"You have to go with purpose," Reynolds, a devotee of the philosopher Joseph Campbell, believes. "One class I teach is called” Real World Photography’” This is how to think your way through an assignment and problem solve under pressure.   First and foremost, understand what you're trying to do. Secondly, look at what you have: Where's the light coming from? What's the quality of light? How can I use this environment to take the best pictures and what do I need to modify? That knowledge gives you direction for composition, lighting and timing. Pick your tools by the amount of light, quality of light, composition and where you need to be  to get the right images.  then go to work."

Spoken like a true pioneer.

Christine Reynolds
Florida Master Photographer, FDPE
PPA Certified Professional Photographer
PPA Photographer of the Year 2006

www.christinereynolds.com