Tim Hallam was born and raised in Mt. Shasta, California. As a kid he was always in nature, hiking, exploring, swimming in the rivers and lakes, fishing. At age 15 he was taken under wing by a neighbor who was a professional photographer. Tim describes their friendship as “sort of an apprenticeship but without a lot of instruction.” His neighbor, Michael Le Guellec, sold him his first real camera, and would often take Tim on expeditions to places like Yosemite, Death Valley, and the Oregon Coast as inspiration.
“My camera is always with me, but the photos are secondary to the experience. The photos serve as a moment in time. I am passionate about sharing the wonder of the natural world.”
While I was conducting this short interview with Tim, I could hear his camera whirring away. He was out in the field shooting images of the air attack on the forest fire up near Grants Pass. Tim is always at the ready, always with his camera by his side.
Tim describes his style as fine art nature photography. He shoots images of places that we might all recognize, but he captures them in ever changing conditions, different seasons, special light. Whether it is a rare aurora borealis over Crater Lake, or the milky way over Mt. Shasta, he uses the camera to see things that our eyes might miss due to our sensory limitations. His images often appear otherworldly because with proper technique the camera can see way more than our eyes and brain can process.
His technical skills as a photographer become obvious when you see what he can do with the night sky. His speciality is wide-field astrophotography. That is a fancy way of saying landscape photography at night with long exposures and unique settings. Tim is very knowledgeable about what is going on in the cosmos and plans his shoots accordingly.
“Creating a photograph of the lunar eclipse over Pilot Rock took 6 months of planning and scouting out the perfect location for the shoot. Other images are more spontaneous and spur of the moment. An electric storm over Grizzly Mountain happens and you have to jump on the opportunity.”
Another of Tim’s passions is teaching his photographic secrets to aspiring photographers who wish to expand their knowledge. He works with folks one on one and in groups. For more information about his photography and workshops go to his website hallamphoto.com.
Meet Tim and dozens of other local artists every weekend along the creek at the Lithia Artisans Market in Downtown Ashland.
