Behind Life Images by Gloria

My Story

I grew up in Iowa, where being outdoors was simply part of my life.

As a child, I wandered through the woods, built little waterways and dams, and spent hours noticing what was around me. I still remember the Great Horned Owl that appeared in our backyard one day. I stood watching it for the longest time, fascinated by this beautiful creature that had suddenly entered my world.

I think that sense of wonder has always stayed with me.

For 30 years, my career was in education. Photography was something I loved, but life was busy. After I retired, I finally had the time to return to it seriously, and Life Images by Gloria was born.

At first, I thought I was simply photographing beautiful places and wildlife.

Over time, I realized I was capturing something more.

I began noticing how certain moments in nature made me feel—the quiet of a pathway disappearing into the trees, sunlight filtering through leaves, the power of the ocean, or the expression of an animal watching me as carefully as I was watching it.

Today, when I am out with my camera, I am still looking for beautiful light and strong composition. But I am also looking for that moment that makes me stop.

The moment that makes me feel something.

That is what I want to capture and share.

Years of meeting people at art shows taught me something I hadn't expected. I don't get to decide what one of my photographs will mean to someone else.

I remember a woman stopping at my booth and seeing a photograph I had taken of a lone surfer walking through the fog at Coronado. She was a young widow, and she bought the photograph for her daughter's birthday. There was something in that image that spoke to her and her own experience.

She hugged the print reverently before she left.

I've never forgotten that.

A photograph of the ocean might remind someone of home. A forest pathway might bring back a memory. An image of an animal may touch someone for a reason I could never have imagined.

I simply capture what I see and what I feel.

The person who lives with the photograph brings their own story to it.

Maybe that's what I love most about what I do.

I am the messenger, not the determinator.

I keep wandering, looking for beauty, noticing the details, and waiting for those moments when nature makes me stop.

And when I find one, I bring it home to share with you.

-Gloria