Richard “Dixie” Atkinson - 64 - Jacksonville, Alabama. Freelance Photographer specializing in commercial, web advertising, sports, wildlife, scenic and fine art prints.

I attended Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York between 1975-77, where I received my core training in photography with emphasis on portrait, commercial and advertising photography. I was in the US Army at the time and after a couple of years I was transferred to another location, the US Military Academy near Highland Falls, NY. While assigned to the USMA, I attended Ladycliff College and earned my Bachelor of Fine Art degree with a minor in photography in 1981.

45 years. I have always been interested in scenic and wildlife photography and that is what got me started as a photographer. I still do most of my freelance work in nature, wildlife and landscape photography. I have and still do some commercial and sports photography. I also did the photography work for NASCAR’s Fiddleback Craftsman Truck Racing Team for a number of years until they recently sold the team to new owners.

I have the following equipment: Canon 1Ds, Canon 5D, Canon 10D, Canon EOS Rebel XTi, Canon EOS Elan 7, Mamiya Pro S RB67 along with Canon EF lenses including a EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, EF 50mm f/1.8 II, EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, Extender EF 1.4x II, and a Extender EF 2x II. I also have the following specialty lenses: MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro Photo and a Tilt-shift TS-E 24mm f/3.5L. I normally have all this equipment with me for each trip. I will then pick & choose based on what I am going to shoot on any given day. I also have flashes, ND, graduated ND, polarizing, and other assorted filters which are usually close at hand.

I would like to add either an EF 600mm lens and/or the new Canon EF 800mm lens.

Any national park, but my favorites are Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Zion and Rocky Mountains National Parks. I have always been drawn to American history and I enjoy seeing the places and scenery where that history took place while showing what makes America what it is.

Almost a cliché answer, but it was Ansel Adams. I read his books The Camera, The Negative, The Print and Natural Light Photography back during the 1960’s and used them as bibles while I was learning photography and doing my own darkroom work – first with black & white photography and then color. Through those four books I learn how to work with light and how to use the Zone System and still do until this day – even in digital photography.

I have had a SmugMug account and have used them for my prints since late 2003 or 2004. I really like the way they are responsive to the photographer’s needs and the way SmugMug works to make the site better for the photographer to better showcase his/her work.

I can some it up in one word – Exposure. I have been able to reach people with my work which has enabled me to sell photographs. SmugMug has also been directly responsible for me getting at least two book covers because the clients were able to go to my SmugMug galleries and find exactly what they wanted to use.

Learn how to work with light. In the studio that is fairly simple because the photographer is able to control the lighting. However, in nature, even with the use of reflectors, etc. the photographer still has to learn to “read” a scene to know when and how to capture that "unforgettable" image.