Bill Ellzey

Bill Ellzey, of Crestone, Colorado, (where he lives in a self-built strawbale home) picked up a camera in 1965 while in the Air Force. He started primarily as a cowboy photographer, and still photographs cowboys occasionally, just to keep his hand at it, on the family ranch in the Texas panhandle. But his photographic interests expanded, and have taken him around the world: from Australia to Egypt, from the Rockies in mid-winter to jungles of Central America in mid-summer, and the wilds of Patagonia any time he can get there. Along the way, Bill’s commitment to photography as a full time working pro has led him to explore widely diverse worlds of photography — fine art black and white, portraiture (classic indoor and outdoor locations), sports actions (from rodeo to skiing), commercial, industrial, advertising, aerial photography, editorial assignment and stock. While still doing black and white, Bill concentrates on color photography today.

A self-taught photographer, Ellzey started teaching others years ago. He founded Western Photo Workshops in Telluride, Colorado and was its director for eleven years, and continues to teach privately and for organizations in the US and abroad. Sought for his extremely varied experience and easy-going teaching style, he has taught for schools such as Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, and Winona International School of Professional Photography.

His work from India, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Alaska, Egypt, Ireland, Bhutan, Zambia, Chilean Patagonia and the American West has been published in the US and abroad. His images have been featured in magazines, books, calendars, newspapers, catalogs, annual reports, galleries and private collections. His stock photography is represented by National Geographic Creative. Read more at www.billellzey.com.