Jimmy Gekas, photographer

Jimmy Gekas

An 8th grade class trip to NYC and DC started my curiosity in photography, yet I did not really pick up a camera again until graduating from college at UCSD in La Jolla, CA. Sports photography was my first serious attempt at learning about the art of photography. Seeing the light and making it work for each photo was all so new to me. A few trips to Yosemite, Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks in the mid 1990's helped start my love for nature photography.

My introduction to the world of digital capture really evolved into a perfect match of photography and my new love for computers. I now had 100 per cent control of my art, from the digital capture, through processing and into printing. The workflow was perfect for me and I still enjoy it to this day.

After working in the sports photography business for 13 years with a co-owned company called Sideline Studios, I moved into portrait photography, concentrating on family and high school senior portraits. In line with action photography, I recently took up the adventures of photographing pods of dolphins off the coast of Southern California. A big thank you to my friend Jennifer Renwick for getting me into dolphin photography.

Once out on the ocean or out in the wilderness, I now thoroughly enjoy the experience and journey, rather than just out to take photos of certain check list locations. It is due to these experiences that my photography has evolved into something more meaningful.

In addition to the photography, I have been coaching youth volleyball since 1993 in the San Diego area. I currently coach at Coast Volleyball Club in San Diego and have been there for 25 years. It is volleyball first, photography second during the club season, then the other way around after the season is over. Fortunately, the season only runs from November until July, and I am free during the fall to shoot the awesome colors of autumn.