About Paul Hassell

Though you might see his signature in the corner of a photograph of a black bear cub in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Paul Hassell isn't strictly a photographer. Paul is in the light business.

More often than not, that business plants him right in the middle of an adventure. One month, he might lead a photo trek to Patagonia, and the next he might shoot a humanitarian project in Ethiopia. He might break his own rule and shoot a wedding on Kauai, or he might trade the sun for snow, ice, and ax on Grand Teton. You can be sure that he’s eaten foods that would make most of us shudder.

An entrepreneur since the age of fifteen, a lover of solitude, and a loyal friend, Paul defies convention at every turn. You won't walk away from a conversation with him thinking how little you know about the nature of visible light and the nuts and bolts of photography. You'll walk away with the sense that Paul is doing what he was created to do. This at-home-ness in himself and his craft becomes a kind of permission for others to find their vocations and live them.

In his words: “I want to live a life that's open and honest. If I'm consistent, then my photography will speak this same language.”

Paul found what makes him tick and organized his life around that calling. He designed his own major at The University of Tennessee: Freelance Photography and Writing for the Natural Environment. That's a mouthful. He's a member of several professional photography groups, including the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) and Southern Appalachian Nature Photographers (SANP), but the credentials matter less to him than sharing the profound experience. He points the way to a bigger truth and deeper reality. The same way the mirror in a camera reflects light onto the sensor, Paul reflects God's beauty, majesty, and goodness.

Paul grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, and that comfortable town is still his base camp. If you follow his Blog or follow him on Facebook, he'll take you around the world, from South Africa to Laos to California to Alaska to Chile.

Hold on for the ride.

Paul's Photos and Causes

Paul's Mission

My mission is to usher light into the world so that the lives of people might be changed, and the places they go to change might remain unchanged.

The images compel people to go to where the image was taken and experience the place for themselves. If the person does not have the means to venture into the wild, the power of that place as conveyed in these images will still ignite a fire of appreciation great enough for him/her to act towards its preservation.

Links

Recommended websites for photography enthusiasts and adventurers:

Frans Lanting - one of the world's premier wildlife photographers

Nick Nichols - one of the world's premier wildlife and adventure photographers

Galen Rowell - first a world-class rock climber, then a photographer, forever a legend

Thom Mangelsen - world-class wildlife photographer based in Jackson, Wyoming

Dave Black - best sports photographer in the world! Site has fantastic tutorials on lighting

Kevin Adams - beautiful north carolina scenic photography

Bill Lea - smoky mountains photographer

Phil Savage - nature and sports photography that will stretch your mind

SANP - southern appalachian nature photographers

NANPA - north american nature photography association

6 Billion Others - featuring the project of famous french photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand

What's in the Bag?

Canon 5D Mark II

Lenses: 16-35mm f/2.8 II... 50mm f/1.4... 85mm f/1.2 II... 70-200mm f/2.8

Tripods: Gitzo 1325 (heavy use), Gitzo 1028 (ultralight), Bogen 3011

Workshops and Tours

For Paul's Workshops and Tours, click here

Marius van der Sandt - [ 19 November 1985 - 20 October 2006 ]

On October 20, 2006 while paragliding in Turkey, Marius lost consciousness and had a fatal crash. My good friend passed on while soaring with the eagles.

Like-spirited 20 year old Marius (Netherlands) and I met in the Alaskan backcountry of Katmai National Park in June 2006. He was with his dear mother (a real angel of a woman). For four days we joined together and shared our adventurous dreams for the future while fulfilling one in the present - photographing Katmai Brown Bears.

Here's a brief look at Marius's life. As a high school student Marius felt a tugging to head to New Zealand. Did he sit idly? No. Off he went to photograph the mountains and soar the skies (aerial photography while paragliding). In 2005, after rapelling down into a slot canyon in AZ, Marius ran into world famous Dutch nature photographer Frans Lanting. A friendship began. In August 2006, Marius completed a National Geographic assignment with Frans in the Arctic.

In short, Marius knew he was created to photograph the world around him in order to conserve it, and he wasted no time getting started. I will always carry a sense of his passion for photography, and his dedication to making his dreams a reality.