The Gift of Finding the Unusual – ‘Old-School’ Photographer Captures Spiritual Images

Some people have a ‘knack’ for finding the most inspiring or unusual things in what most of us would see as ordinary places. This is true in the case of Douglass Hamm, a creative and wonderfully talented photographer who does things the old way, crafting one-of-a-kind inspirational pieces of art without the use of Photoshop or other modern technologies.

For more than three decades Doug has used his passion for photography to create fine art, finding inspiration for his work almost anywhere as he relies on his intuition and actively looks for magic that others may not see, working in a way you may think of as how storm chasers work, following his instinct and going where he can “see” an incredible shot forming.

Doug studied with Ansel Adams and relies on the old-fashioned approach of using a camera to capture mesmerizing landscapes, awe-inspiring skies, water, and more. Many of these unique photographs were captured amidst the rugged beauty and amazing landscapes of the Southwest.

According to Doug, being in the right place at the right time is everything.

There are certain times of day when the lighting, exposure, and other factors are ideal for capturing the image he has in his “mind’s eye,” which means he frequently has to return to the scene at a certain time when conditions are right for achieving the best possible shot. Doug uses no enhancement in his work, relying on his intuition and talent to capture images that are truly exquisite.

Some of the artwork Doug has proudly created include Monsoon, Horse and Rider, and White House Ruin. Monsoon was captured at a location at Roosevelt Lake in July during Monsoon storm season, just as the storm was developing. Horse and Rider was taken in Fountain Hills at a location called Red Rock in the early morning hours following an evening of rain; according to Doug, the shot would not work without the cloud forming the backdrop for the image.