Ron Anderson was born in 1975 in Easley, South Carolina. He developed an interest in photography somewhere around the sixth grade by shooting some snapshots on family vacations and other trips, mainly just wherever his parents went. When his they wanted a shot of themselves, who else would do it? It wasn’t until much later, about the age of seventeen, that Ron started to develop his “eye” for pictures. He knew virtually nothing about photography other than "point and shoot"; so point and shoot he did with the use of his dad's 35mm camera. Besides, his dad didn't use it that much anyway It kind of all got started when Ron realized that he had a real love for capturing beautiful scenes. His aunt took him on a trip to Jamaica the summer before his senior year of high school. He found himself looking for what he called "post card shots." He pursued shots that had good composition, though he really didn't use the term or even know all that it meant. Ron couldn’t tell you what made a good picture; he just compared his to what he had seen on magazines, postcards, and posters. A few years later, Ron bought his first camera which was a twin lens Yashica Mat medium format. He didn’t know what medium format was. All he knew was that he wanted a camera, and his friend confirmed that it was a good deal. Ron knew absolutely nothing about determining the correct exposure for a shot since all he had ever been exposed to was an automatic camera (set on Program mode). Luckily, Ron had a friend named Scott who had shot wedding photography for some time and was more than willing to show him the basics of how to use his new camera. Then Ron bought a book on the basics 35mm photography while starting to borrow his dad's camera more often. Around that same time, Ron had purchased a motorcycle, and just so happened to have a neighbor who knew where all of the great places were to go, like the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove, and also many spectacular waterfalls. Ron remembered as a young child that he had heard the weather man on TV talk about the Blue Ridge Parkway, and he had gotten souvenirs from his grandparents bought in the Great Smoky Mountains; but Ron had never seen either one, or thought he even cared to. These were the places his neighbor knew a lot about and loved the most; and Ron would soon understand why. Often they would get an early start on the day, while the morning haze was lifting from the ground and the cool air was flowing all around him. The Earth too seemed to be waking up as well, as an orange glowing giant seemed to slowly emerge from above soon enveloping everything within sight. Before long, they would be soaring at over 5000 feet on the edge of the mountains viewing rays of sunlight beaming from the clouds, and blankets of heavy fog lying between the mountaintops. Wow; this was awesome!! How could he have missed out on so much in an area where he had lived in all of his life? It seemed so new now; vibrant, alive, full of wonder and amazement. It wasn't until a year later, soon after Ron married to his wife ~~~~~~~, that Ron purchased his own 35mm camera. Ron started shooting only professional slide films and quickly developed a seriousness and passion for the art. With the encouragement of Ron’s wife, he began pursuing greater photographic skill. He began entering local and national competitions. Ron’s work has since been featured in publications such as The Best of Photography Annual 2002 (Hardcover) by Serbin Communications, Wandering Spirits (Coffee Table Edition) by The International Library of Photography, and a special edition of a Rand McNally Road Atlas. His photography has also been in galleries such as the Spartanburg Museum of Art and the Crosby Stills Gallery in Greenville, SC. He then realized that this passion he had been pursuing was actually a gift from God. "I couldn't know how to produce pleasing images myself." He says, "it has to be a gift.” Ron ultimately knows that when people admire his photography, they are really admiring God's beautiful and marvelous creation, and that he had simply been there to release the shutter.

Artist Highlights

• ArtWanted.com Gallery:    Photography
• Proficient Software:   Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator