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The Nature, Wildlife and Pet Photography Forum Presents:

An Interview with Miles Hecker by James Morrissey

This interview is ©2008 James Morrissey, and may not be reproduced in any medium without prior permission. All images in this interview are ©Miles Hecker. All rights reserved.

Part I: About Miles Hecker

©Miles Hecker Beartooth Butte

JM: Would you be willing to tell us a little bit about yourself and what life was like growing up?

MH: I grew up in an urban blue collar family in Brooklyn, N.Y. My father managed the shipping department for a textile firm in Manhattan. My grandfather was a master plumber with his own business. The women were all homemakers.

The major influence in my formative years was my mothers’ father. He loved to fish. As often as possible, I would escape NYC with him. We would drive 50 miles or so east, out to the wilds of Long Island. In the 1950’s when I was a kid, this area was still largely undeveloped. We would spend the day fishing on Long Island Sound or Great South Bay. It was there that I developed my love of the natural world.

©Miles Hecker Lupine Creek Sunrise

JM: Who were your photographic influences?

MH: My first photographic influence was my dad. He liked to take family photos with his Argus C3. He got me a Ciroflex TLR camera to use for my very own. I started out with MF and not 35mm as most people do. At first I shot mostly B&W, but occasionally I would shoot Kodachrome II. As I got older he let me use his C3, I moved up to 35mm.

I went to college at The Cooper Union for Advancement of Science & Art in Manhattan. In my freshman year I purchased my first SLR, a Konica FM. I also got a job with the NYC Dept. of Environmental Resources as a photographer. I did microfilming of records and polluter photo documentation for them for about 3 years. In my sophomore year, I became the photographer for The Pioneer, which was the school newspaper. I got to use the schools Nikon S2, a really sweet camera for PJ type shooting. In those days I shot mostly people.

My bachelors’ degree is actually in Electrical Engineering. I had done work in the electronic imaging field for many years; in the old days that meant video and TV. As small computers permeated our society, that sector evolved into the field of computer imaging. In the last decade digital still photography has joined the party.

JM: During this time, did you also take photography classes?

My photographic education is fairly minimal. I took one Intro to B&W photography course. I had full run of both EPA’s lab and Cooper Unions photo labs in my jobs, so there was no need to take other formal photography courses to continue my work. I began to travel more and more in my junior and senior years of college. I went through the Grand Canyon. I journeyed to New Hampshire, Maine and Canada. I started to shoot more Kodachrome and realized that my true love was color nature photography.

In 1971 I moved to Wyoming to go to graduate school and I’ve been here ever since. Wyoming is still wild and free. We here are fortunate to live in a virtual time warp. It still is as a friend of mine used to say ‘God’s Country’.

JM: What are you looking for in your photography?

MH: In my landscape work I attempt to capture the harmony and beauty I find in the natural world. This is often keyed to what I call transcendent moments. These are times when a combination of light, color, form and space allow our tiny brains to see a hint of natures infinite grandeur.

©Miles Hecker Moulton's Winter House

JM: When did you decide to take your work professionally?

MH: I have been involved in photography professionally on and off through out my adult life.

About 20 years ago I helped Nick Nichols, now of National Geographic fame on his shoot in Lechuguilla Cave. The Lechuguilla article was Nick’s first big story for N.G. I remember his passion to get the great shot. My fondest memory of Nick involved five of us hanging 200 ft in the air for 2 hours trying to get a shot of two cavers hanging on a rope climbing up “Boulder Falls”, a 200 foot deep pit in the cave.

In the last 10 years of my full time teaching career, I began to teach digital photography for the Art Dept. at Casper College. The photography instructors had no computer background and I had both computer, photography and video experience, so I became the one to initiate the journey to the new electronic, digital age of photography.

About seven years ago my girl friend, who is now my wife, convinced me my actual work was good enough to pursue on a serious basis.

JM: Can you tell us a bit more about how you made the journey from doing some work in college to photographing with Nick Nichols and launching your professional photographic career?

My hobby for 35+ years has been caving. I was on the board of directors of the Lechuguilla Cave Project. It was this group that was responsible for the early (1986-1992) exploration of Lechuguilla Cave.  When Nick got the assignment to shoot the Lech article for National Geo, he contacted us.  He needed our guidance and expertise. Working with Nick on the shoot lead me back to my roots in photography and was a spark that motivated me to seriously pursue my own work. I have not spoken to Nick in 20 years although another good friend went on to help him with much of his work in Africa. Nick almost died on the transect of Africa project from exotic tropical diseases.

JM: How does the photography that you do impact your choice in gear? How do you feel about the evolution of digital photography?

MH: The photography I do directly affects my gear choice. Landscape prints come into their own at sizes of 16”x20” and larger. My equipment needs to produce images capable of being printed up to at least 20”x30”in size. In the past this meant, for me, Medium Format film cameras. In today’s digital world it means full frame digital SLR’s. MF digital is in some ways an even better choice, but for me at least the cost and limited lens selection has for now ruled this route out.

JM: Are gallery pieces a large portion of your business?

MH: Selling our own gallery prints is an ever decreasing part of our business. The trouble is finding a gallery that doesn't go broke and has a passion for your work.  The only way to guarantee this is to open your own.  This is a very expensive proposition in a good market for fine art.  A good location in a venue such as Jackson can rent for $6000 a month! The number of well known US photographers that make a majority of their income from gallery print sales might well be counted on one hand.  That's why you see so many of them running workshops, writing books and giving seminars.

©Miles Hecker Ocotillo Moonrise

JM: Can you talk about what your photographic day looks like? How does your family fit into it?

MH: On a shoot, I wake up long before sunrise and head to an area we’ve scoped out the day before. I work it until the light becomes harsh or unappealing. I then stop and have a bite to eat. I generally review my shots during midday. After some lunch, I discuss plans for the evening shoot with fellow photographers. These plans can be revised at any time based on changing weather conditions. We then work the evening site until well after sunset. The final event is usual a good dinner and maybe a microbrew.

My wife Nancy is also an avid photographer. Some of her work has been published in N.G. traveler. She often is along on shoots with me. She is also a full time CPA and that keeps her from pursuing shooting more fervently.

My youngest daughter Katrina is in high school in Arizona and has a budding interest in photography. Where it may lead only time will tell.

If you would like to learn more about Miles Hecker and his work, you can visit his web site at wyofoto.com/index.html.