Biography

GeneTaylor bought his first camera when he was eight years old. At the age of 13 he took his first political photograph, Richard Nixon, at a local rally. By the ninth grade he was photographing for his yearbook. In 1971 he had a front row seat photographing The Carpenters, one of many performers he would eventually shoot. His senior year in high school he went to work for a local paper. Taylor began shooting weddings and portraits by the mid 70's and then attended numerous courses at the Professional Photographers of America school in Indiana. While in college he photographed for the yearbook and shot and wrote for the school's paper. He graduated college with a major in Communications and in Political Science.

By 1983 he was working as a television news reporter and photographer. Later that year, as a member of The Friends of Photography, he was chosen to study with Ansel Adams in California. Maybe his biggest regret in life, he was unable to leave work to attend. He expected to take the opportunity the following year, but Adams died.

Throughout the 1980's he continued shooting landscapes, weddings, and became one of the few skydiving photographers in South Carolina. On vacations he began photographing America's national parks. Those photographs are available online and through local galleries.

In 2003 his photographs were used extensively for an ESPN special on "Radio", a story about James "Radio" Kennedy, subject of a major motion picture. Throughout 2004 and 2005 his work appeared in national magazines and newspapers. Late in 2004 one photograph made its way into the 365 Cats a day Calendar and some of his early work on the Raspberries band showed up in the book "Eric Carmen: Marathon Man" (A book Great Britain's Record Collector proclaimed one of the BEST BOOKS OF 2005). During 2005 he was the tour photographer for the Raspberries and in late 2005 his work was published in "Raspberries Tonight" a highly acclaimed book of the band's reunion.

He is currently a member of the Professional Photographers of America, the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and Wedding and Portrait Photographers International.

GeneTaylor uses Canon digital cameras, a Mamiya 645 film camera, and a Fuji GX617 Panoramic film camera. He also utilizes Canon and Sunpak flash units, as well as Photogenic studio lights, and North Light (from Mother Nature!).

In order to be among the best at what he does, he is continuing to develop his craft through training with some of the world's best photographers. His most recent session was with Monte Zucker, quite possibly the best wedding and portrait photographer ever. In viewing Gene's portraits, you will see the influence. He was first a student of Zucker's in 1976.