I was born way down South in Atlanta,
and grew up interested in drawing but without the hand-eye
coordination to make it work. When in college, I lucked into a
part-time job souping black-and-white film and printing pictures for
a church-related magazine. The photographer who worked there
inspired me to try photography. He also arranged to get me a new
gray-market, low-priced Nikon F camera.
After college I got hired as a
newspaper staff photographer (grin and say cheese). I worked for two
papers in Florida and one in Kentucky, where I eventually became
photo editor.
I followed my wife’s job to Chicago,
where some guy who used to work for the Sun-Times convinced me I
should try freelancing. I did, and it worked out okay for about 10
years, until the biz slowed down in the ‘90s.
So I went back to school and learned
some computer graphic design software, and got a job as graphic
designer for a state agency. I retired from that job in 2007.
These days I enjoy shooting scenics,
landscapes, flowers and pretty stuff. You don’t have to move as fast
as you do in photojournalism.
If you really don’t have enough to
do, you can check out my photos at fineartamerica.com, search Jim
Wright. You can see my notecards at wrightingsnotecards.com. Buy
some.
