BetterPhoto.com Staff
Get to know Team BetterPhoto! This excellent group of people help keep BetterPhoto.com going and growing strong.
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Jim Miotke
Hi - I'm Jim Miotke and I would like to welcome you to BetterPhoto.com! If you love photography, you've come to the right place! My wife Denise and I, along with our great team of friends, have been running BetterPhoto.com for over a dozen years. Denise and I are both photographers, and our three children are our favorite subjects. But above all our shooting, our number one hope is that BetterPhoto will help you say "YES!" to your creative dreams. Our biggest problem is that BetterPhoto is simply too big, too rich, too full of great features and resources. And the BetterPhoto community is - if this is possible - too loving and appreciative! Not a bad problem to have! The good news is that, if you're new to BetterPhoto, getting started is easy. You simply have to know where to start first: Again, welcome to BetterPhoto. Enjoy creating photos and discussing pictures with people who share your passion for photography! It's all here at BetterPhoto - enjoy the site!Jim Miotke
President, BetterPhoto.com, Inc.
Author of:
The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Photography
The BetterPhoto Guide to Digital Nature Photography
The Absolute Beginner's Guide to Taking Great Photos
DVDs: Digital Photography Unleashed and Photographing Kids
Creative Confidence
2-Day Weekend Workshop
Destroying Fear by Getting Clear
Join Jim in his 2-day in-person weekend workshop, and gain the confidence and the competitive edge you deserve today!
Jim Miotke has taught a lot of people how to compose a beautiful photo and how to understand exposure. But the ability to adjust aperture, shutter speed, and ISO is worthless if you don't have the CLARITY to know what you really want, or the GUTS to get really creative.
We have to have a strong and clear "inner game" in order to be our best. We have to feel confident enough to be daring. This mindset is what it takes to get outside of our comfort bubble and try new things - to make truly unique and special photos.
Jim's #1 goal is to help you gain the mindset of the successful creative photographer. He wants you to feel confident, clear, inspired AND he wants you to walk away empowered with all the tools you need for lasting positive change. The best way to achieve this clarity and your goals is though action - actually doing the exercises and assignments you need in order to achieve a crystal clear state of mind.
Register Today and Save!
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Melody Hauf
I love being a part of this great team of staff members who love photography and our BetterPhoto members. As a member of the support staff, I have the opportunity to see BP photographers strive for and reach their creative potential. Just seeing the daily effort is truly exciting, and I find that I am then inspired to work harder on my own artistic goals.Although I am very much an amateur photographer, I find the principles of beautiful artwork is universal through all mediums. Although I am always striving to become a better photographer, I often use my photos for inspiration in other creative pursuits. I have a passion for artistic expression through painting, drawing, ceramics, jewelry design, glass blowing, and the pastry arts to name a few.
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Denise H. Miotke
Since the beginning of time, well... the beginning of the web, at least, I've been working with Jim to help photographers make better photos. Our aim has been to provide honest answers, helpful advice, and encouragement to photography students of all skill levels. It has been a fun and rewarding adventure. I love to see the BetterPhoto members progress and am thrilled to be a part of their photographic success in some small way.Until the advent of digital SLRs, I enjoyed working with a Pentax 645. Now, I really enjoy shooting with a Canon 5D and a Leica D-Lux 3. I often take my favorite scenic photos and paint large versions of them with oils. I love to take photos of our travels, but my very favorite photographic subjects are of my 3 lovely children.
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Jay Wadley
I met Jim Miotke while working together at a Seattle high tech company in 1997. At that time he had a small photography site that has since grown into what it is today. I worked in the stock photography industry for several years and in 2003 I was fortunate enough to join BetterPhoto as a developer. I have never enjoyed a job more. Shortly after I started working for BetterPhoto I was able to go on two photo trips with Jim where I got hands on instruction on photography techniques. One trip was to Vermont during the Fall and the other was to the slot canyons in northern Arizona. You can see photos from each trip in my Pro Betterpholio, jaywadley.com. Ever since, I have loved photography and am absolutely amazed at the quality of photos that our members produce.
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Amy Wadley
I am a novice photographer, but love and appreciate beautiful photos. I have been working for BetterPhoto since January 2005 and love our community and appreciate the great team we have here. I have been very happily married for almost 12 years to my best friend. We have one beautiful 3 year old daughter that keeps us very busy. We live in sunny Arizona and are exceedingly blessed with friends and family close by. God is good!
 
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Kerry Drager
The content manager and an instructor for BetterPhoto.com, Kerry Drager is also the author of Scenic Photography 101. In addition, he teaches two online photography courses at BetterPhoto: Creative Light & Composition and Creative Close-ups. His work has appeared in Outdoor Photographer and other major magazines; Hallmark cards and Sierra Club Calendars; and in advertising campaigns for American Express and Sinar Bron Imaging. He is also the photographer of the photo-essay books The Golden Dream: California from Gold Rush to Statehood and California Desert, and is a contributing photographer for the books Daybreak 2000 and Portrait of California. Kerry's Pro BetterPholio website - www.kerrydrager.com - also was featured in Shutterbug magazine. He lives with his wife, Mary, in the country near Sacramento, California, with their six Newfoundland dogs, six cats, two horses, and a mixed terrier. Also check out Kerry's Visual Creativity photography blog.
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Karen Orr
I have a deep appreciation for the arts and my day is enhanced by all the beautiful images uploaded by BetterPhoto Members. As our membership grows, it is our goal to maintain the sense of community our members have come to know and love. It is an honor to be a part of our "Small but Mighty" team as Director of Marketing. I've simply never worked with a group who cares as much as this lovely team. We are all driven to support people who connect through their love of photography.
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Brian E. Hauf
Twice retired, 40 year federal employee from the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA Ames Research Center with 4 years military. Last position with the FAA as Airspace and Procedures Manager at Oakland ARTCC, Fremont, Ca. With NASA as subcontractor Program Manager for the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS); responsible for aviation analyst's and project administration. Married since 1967. Two girls, Melody (pastry chef; multiple degree academic archivist) and Denise (Vice President and wife to Jim Miotke, President of BetterPhoto.com). One grandchild, Julian. Novice photographer. Always working on customizing the house. Finally got to Europe for the first time in 2003 and been back 2 more times. Planning for the next trip by years end.
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Brian Lobdell
Hello to you all!I'm a long time amateur enthusiast, living in the beautiful Northwest state of Washington, with my wife and our merry menagerie of cats and dogs. I began my photographic experiences in college, while editing the campus newspaper. This provided me access to the darkroom and many hours developing and printing B&W images taken with my 35mm film Nikon. Graduating with a degree in journalism, I spent my early professional career as owner of a commercial printing company, gaining additional invaluable experience working with photos - from cropping & retouching, to the printing
of 4-color separations on sheet fed, offset printing presses. My photography really evolved with my step into the digital arena, discovering a whole new world to embrace! I upgraded to a Nikon DSLR several years ago, which has provided me with a broad realm of options and techniques to learn and conquer, from camera to PhotoShop! BetterPhoto.com has been a wonderful source of inspiration, learning tools, and a community of supportive friends ...
I'm constantly re-energized by studying the astonishing creations I find from those souls who live and breathe this wonderful medium.
So I was thrilled when asked to join the BetterPhoto team here, working in customer support and relations. I look forward to hearing from those in our BetterPhoto community, and sharing new and exciting products such as Jim's Masterpiece of the Month Membership,
which is now elevating many of our members to unparalleled heights in their photographic skills and experiences! Regards,
Brian
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Ricardo Chavez
Photography plays such a large part in everyone’s life. From being used as part of a marketing tool, helping tell the company's story, to filling up family albums with joyful memories. My experience with photography has been no different.I have fond memories of my sisters, my brother and I gathered around an old suitcase my parents had filled with photos and family albums. We would spend hours pouring over pictures of family members that lived thousands of miles away, trips, graduations and the odd vehicles my father had a knack of acquiring. Today, photography touches on many aspects of my life; in my career, as inspiration and to add those special memories to my own photo albums.
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Jeff Moore
Hello and thanks for visiting the BetterPhoto Staff Page!My interest in photography has been fueled by the advent of the digital camera. I suppose it's the immediate gratification of seeing the results without having to go through the time and effort required by film photography. Or maybe it's the ability to immediately review and delete my less-than-stellar shots! Either way, I'm still very much the novice photographer. When the weather permits, you will frequently find me on the golf course. I'm pretty much a novice here, too, but I am passionate about the game and I continue to improve with (nearly) every round I play. My wife Kathy, myself, and our three dogs - Murphy, Hannah, and Sarge - thoroughly enjoy living in the Pacific Northwest. We relocated from the desert Southwest in 2004 and haven't looked back. As the Information Technology Manager for BetterPhoto, it's my responsibility to ensure that the technology behind BetterPhoto.com provides you, our BetterPhoto.com community, the best experience possible. And it's a job I take very seriously. I feel very fortunate to be a member of the BetterPhoto team. I've rarely worked with such an enthusiastic bunch. Everyone is truly excited about working here.
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Celia A. Burkhart
I am looking forward to exploring photography for the first time through my job at BetterPhoto.com. I am seeing that I can learn new things each day and that it's never too late to start! I will be posting some photos soon.My work at BetterPhoto is in Sales Support - helping with tech support for our customers, running our bookstore and processing orders. I am enjoying being a part of this creative, dynamic team that encourages photographers of all skill levels to pursue their creative frontiers and to make friends along the way!
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Ana Davenport
After a long hiatus from photography, BetterPhoto has helped me to reconnect with a part of my soul that has been missing for too long. As one of the newest members of the BetterPhoto team, I am excited to embark on this new adventure, surrounded by some of the most creative people around. I look forward to starting my own gallery in the near future.My work at BetterPhoto is to assist with the management of photos and other special projects, which will help Jim Miotke realize his mission of assisting the BetterPhoto community to achieve their creative dreams.
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Jason A. Schumaker
Originally from the Chicago area, I have lived in Seattle for the past 16 years. In that time I have learned to appreciate the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. My wife and I are avid backpackers, but have little knowledge of photography. I am excited to learn how to take better photos of our various trips through the mountains. And maybe, just maybe, I can also learn how to avoid adding my thumb to most family photos!My job at BetterPhoto has me working as an assistant to the President, Jim Miotke. I expect to stay busy in this capacity, and I am eager to become a valued member of the BetterPhoto team.
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Jody Harris
I’ve been a grateful resident of the beautiful Northwest since the early ’70s. On our five acres we act as passive hosts to coyotes, owls, woodpeckers, bunnies, and 872 moles. But we figure it’s their world—we’re just borrowing it.My husband of 20 years is the photographer in our family. I express my own visual creativity through stained glass and jewelry. I’m both the baby (newest hire) and grandma (oldest gal) at BetterPhoto! I’ll help our creative and prolific President streamline his activities so he can spearhead more of those great services and inspiring products for the BetterPhoto community. I’m so impressed with the wide range of creativity displayed by our family of instructors and their students. What an honor it is to be part of a company whose overriding goal is to bring out the best in everyone.
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