Andrew Butler
Photography

My photographic journey was born out of my love of travel, something I had discovered long before I ever picked up a serious camera. I had a small point and shoot to take snapshots of places I'd been and people I'd met and on occasion attempted and "artsy" shot. It wasn't until halfway through a year long trip around the world that I got the chance to explore my creativity.

I met a down-on-his-luck traveler in Bali who had to sell his 35mm camera and three lenses to pay his way home. I jumped at the opportunity, even though I had little knowledge of how to use it. The following six months were amazing and I began to look at travel and life differently. After that, I was hooked.

I returned home to Santa Cruz but continued traveling when I could, enjoying this new passion just for myself, until one day a friend asked to purchase of of my shots and the light bulb went on. "Hey, I can travel, shoot pictures, enjoy life and even earn money doing it! Where do I sign up?"

I started to travel just for photography, to eat, drink and sleep photos to see what I could do if I really "focused" on my images. The first photo journey was a two month trip around India and Nepal, where I caught "color fever". These fantastic cultures, so rich in life and color, took my appreciation to a whole other level. I became fascinated, okay a bit obsessed, with capturing different colors and I believe this first journey of discovering color has influenced my work more than anything else.

Managing to get a few good images from the trip gave me the confidence to have my first exhibition, whether I sold anything or not (not much did). But it lit a fire in me to want to improve my art each trip, put together a new and exciting show and the hope of some day becoming a full time working artist.

That was over 20 years ago, I've since had many exhibits and galleries and museums, from Carmel to San Francisco, all the way to the Museum of Modern Art in Bahia, Brazil.

I must say, as much that has changed in my life, my love of travel, photography and color has remained and even grown stronger. For that I am very grateful.