Horizons Speaker lineup 2025
We are bringing you a prestigious lineup of exceptionally talented speakers from all over the world, each renowned in their field and ready to elevate your photography journey.
Albert Dros
Albert Dros is a 39-year-old professional landscape photographer from the Netherlands. He aims to capture places and specific moments in the best way possible by using his vision and unique style
which consists of strong, vibrant, sometimes fairytale-like images that still aim to be close to reality.
Dros is known for his work from around the world in places like Greenland, Antarctica, Kyrgyzstan
and his homeland The Netherlands. He recently released his new coffee table book 'the Beauty of
The Netherlands' that boast 10 years of his Dutch portfolio.
Dros’ images are recognized worldwide and published by brands like National Geographic, BBC,
CNN, Lonely Planet & many more. Albert Dros is an official Imaging ambassador for Sony Euro
working together closely with them for many years to show the top capabilities of Sony cameras and
lenses.
Andy Parkinson
Andy is a feature contributor to National Geographic magazine, a Nikon Europe Ambassador (Wildlife) and is one of Europe’s most awarded photographers. With more than 80 individual awards featuring in excess of 130 images his photographs consistently feature in all the world’s most prestigious wildlife photographic competitions. His most recent success came in 2020 when he was named the Overall Winner of the Big Picture Natural World, one of the world’s most prestigious wildlife conservation photography competitions. In 2016 he was also named the Overall Winner of Bird Photographer of the Year, winning two categories in the process, and he is also the most prolific photographer in the history of the British Wildlife Photography Awards winning 4 categories with 27 individual awards featuring 36 images. He has been fortunate to be awarded 4 times in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, 5 times in European Wildlife Photographer of the Year whilst in 2012 he was named the Nature Photojournalist of the Year for a portfolio of 12 gannet images captured whilst working on assignment for National Geographic magazine.
Other accolades include category winner and category runner up in the Nature Photographer of the Year Awards and he was also the proud winner of the 2017 IUCN Portfolio Award.
Andy works exclusively with animals and birds that are wild and free and is renowned for his uncompromisingly ethical approach, abhorring those that put their pursuit of images before the welfare of their subjects. He is an ardent supporter of extending rights to all animals, not just the ones with which we share our homes, and his frequently outspoken views on photography ethics, conservation, animal rights and environmental issues can be found in his regular opinion piece in Outdoor Photography magazine.
Beth Buelow
If you’re not amazed, you’re not paying attention.
Every day, there are moments and perspectives that we miss when we move too fast, work too hard. I want my images to serve as speed bumps that invite us to slow down, get out of our head, and connect with our imagination.
Feeling amazement isn’t exclusively the domain of bright shiny objects, epic vistas, or grand gestures; it can be born from more subtle, often overlooked expressions of symmetry, color, light, patterns, texture. My professional training as a musician informs my photography by way of taking the literal (notes on a page, a flower, staircase, or old barn) and honoring the intent while offering new interpretations. Since life and people are full of contradictions, I like to experiment with techniques that reveal complex layers in a creative way: intentional camera movement, multiple exposures, macros, and specialty lenses.
Since my intention is to reflect the amazing world around us, my photography doesn’t fit neatly into one particular genre or subject. I embrace the words of Walt Whitman:
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
No matter the subject, my work often conveys a sense of calm, order, mystery, experimentation, contrarianism, and/or balance. Those ideas might seem to be in tension with one another, but they represent different aspects of my personality and creativity. They all ask to be expressed, and letting them have voice and sharing the amazement with others fills me with joy and purpose... I hope my vision of the world speaks to you, expands your heart, and enriches your life
Brooks Jensen
Brooks Jensen is a fine-art photographer, publisher, workshop teacher, and writer. He and his late wife (Maureen Gallagher) are the owners, co-founders, editors, and publishers of the award winning LensWork, one of today’s most respected and important periodicals in fine art photography. With subscribers in 72 countries, Brooks’ impact on fine art photography is truly world-wide. His long-running podcast on photography and the creative process is heard over the Internet by thousands every day. LensWork is currently in its 31th year of publication.
LensWork Publishing is also at the leading edge in multimedia and digital media publishing with LensWork Extended Computer Edition and the LensWork Tablet Edition — both PDF based, media-rich expanded version of the magazine. LensWork Online is a membership website with literally terabytes of online content including videos, audios, workshops, and inspiration for your creative photographic endeavors. Brooks' personal work can be seen in his on-going series, Kokoro, a PDF based, downloadable periodical.
Brooks Jensen is the author of thirteen best-selling books on photography and creativity: Looking at Images, The Creative Life in Photography, Letting Go of the Camera, the three volume set Single Exposures: Random Observations on Art, Photography and Creativity. His most recent books are Photography, Art, & Media; The Best of the LensWork Interviews. He is also the editor and publisher of Seeing in SIXES (four volumes published in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019), Our Magnificent Planet 2020, Our Magnificent Planet 2021, Trilogies 2022, and Light, Glorious Light 2023.
Two monographs of Brooks' personal photograph have been published: Made of Steel(2012) and Dreams of Japan (2021).
Cole Thompson
At 14 years of age, I knew I was destined to be a fine art photographer.While hiking in Rochester, NY I stumbled across the ruin of an old home that George Eastman had once owned. This piqued my interest and I read his biography. I was fascinated with photography and before I had completed the book, before I had even taken a photograph or seen a print develop in the darkroom, I knew that I was going to be a photographer. For the next 10 years photography was my complete existence, if I wasn’t taking pictures or working in the darkroom, I was reading every book and looking at every image I could find. There was nothing in my life but photography.
Even at this early age I found myself drawn to a particular style of image, one that would literally cause a physical reaction in me. They were dark images created by Adams, Weston, Bullock and others. I knew that I was destined to create such images.
I am often asked, “Why black and white?” I think it’s because I grew up in a black-and-white world. Television, movies and the news were all in black and white. My heroes were in black and white and even the nation was segregated into black and white. My images are an extension of the world in which I grew up.
For me color records the image, but black and white captures the feelings that lie beneath the surface.
My art has appeared in many exhibitions, publications and has received numerous awards. And yet my resume does not list those accomplishments, why?
In the past I’ve considered those accolades as the evidence of my success, but I now think differently. My success is no longer measured by the length of my resume, but rather by how I feel about the art that I create. While I do enjoy exhibiting, seeing my work published and meeting people who appreciate my art, this is an extra benefit of creating, but not success itself.
I believe that the best success is achieved internally, not externally.
Some have asked about my qualifications given my non-traditional resume and I answer: “My images are my qualifications, nothing else matters.”
Derek Sturman
Located in the Western United States, Landscapes and dramatic moments are my Passion.
I began photographing landscapes in July of 2015 when I started experimenting with long exposure while camping after picking up a DSLR camera originally for video.
Though the majority of my work is centered on a passion for fine art landscape photography I have worked in several photographic fields including real estate and various product imaging.
Some of the companies with whom I have partnered with or produced content for include:
Google, Amazon, Tamron, Foolography and Lume Cube.
I'm proud to represent and recommend tools and brands that I trust and would recommend to close friends. Withmy, Tamron, TeamPixel
The outdoors are a passion of mine deeply rooted in my nature, and bringing the innovations and offerings of brands to my audiences that will improve their experience is a passion of mine.
Dusty Doddridge
In the early 2000s, I had a unique opportunity to explore the pristine wilderness of Arctic Sweden on a couple of extended backpacking trips. Things would never be the same as photography and creative expression became the primary driver for future outdoor adventures. Since then, I’ve been able to explore places in the world that I could not imagine and never even knew existed. The main regions of my photographic explorations have been the surreal beauty of the Western US, the pristine wilderness of the Arctic and diverse mountain scenery in my home state of Tennessee. I enjoy the excitement and adventure of exploring new places but also the chance to develop a deeper relationship and portfolio of images by returning to landscapes over time.
In 2010 I launched a photography business which allows me the opportunity to share outdoor adventure and creative expression with others through workshops, writing/speaking, and making fine prints.
Huibo Hou
Huibo Hou, is a landscape photographer based in San Diego, California. She fell in love with photography about 25 years ago as a hobbyist while working in the wireless communication industry. Then life got in the way, and she had to set aside her photography pursuit for quite some time. In early 2015, she rekindled her love for photography and gradually became more serious about the craft. Her work has been recognized internationally in recent years with multiple awards and publications.
Landscape photography, especially in black and white, is the art medium that she is passionate about. It serves as her creative outlet to express how she observes, interprets, and connects with nature.
Ian Plant
Whether hanging over the rim of an active volcano, braving the elements to photograph critically
endangered species, or trekking deep into the wilderness to places most people will never see, world-renowned professional photographer Ian Plant has spent the past two decades traveling the globe seeking out amazing places and subjects in his never-ending quest to capture the beauty of our world with his camera.
Known for his inspiring images and single-minded dedication to creating the perfect photo, Ian has reached hundreds of thousands of people in his mission to inspire and educate others in the art of photography. Ian is the author of dozens of books and instructional videos and founder of Photo Masters, a site dedicated to photography education and inspiration.
Matt Payne
Matt is a mountaineer and fine art nature and landscape photographer based in Durango, Colorado. A fifth-generation Colorado native, Matt has a deep passion for the state and its rugged beauty. Specializing in capturing hard-to-reach locations, including Colorado’s highest peaks, he achieved a lifelong goal in 2018 by climbing the state's 100 highest mountains.
A deeply curious individual with a strong connection to the natural world, Matt has a keen interest in science and natural history. The goal of his fine art prints is to showcase Earth's natural beauty, revealing intricate details and highlighting the magnificence and fragility of nature. Matt is passionate about the craft of landscape photography, he also produces a weekly podcast, F-Stop Collaborate and Listen, dedicated to landscape and nature photography.
Michael Bolino
At the age of eighteen I discovered the transformational power of the natural world, an event which forever altered the trajectory of my life. Backpacking, mountaineering, and world travel soon became impulses I had little desire to suppress. The transformative impact these adventures and experiences had on my life, as well as my personal worldview, was not only profound, but molded my life into something unimaginable to my childhood self. For this alone I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the natural world. It seems impossible, perhaps even painful, to wonder where my life would be right now if it wasn’t for my relationship with nature.
Becoming a photographer was not a linear journey. I never consciously decided to pick up a camera to create. Rather, as I continued to use a camera to document my experiences backpacking and traveling, a curiosity slowly crept in: How can I create images which reflect the power, beauty, and magic I witnessed in nature? Is it possible for an image to convey some small measure of nature’s transformative power? I began studying composition, camera technique, acquired a few mantras by reading Galen Rowell, bought a good film camera with a few lenses, then hopped a plane to the Himalayas. It was there in the rarified air, surrounded by Earth’s highest mountains, that my passion for nature and landscape photography was cemented. The images I came home with exceeded anything I could have imagined. That journey was over twenty years ago. Since then my passion for photography, first lit in the Himalayas, has shown few signs of dimming.
In the intervening years I continued to explore, backpack, and climb in the Cascade Range of Washington and Oregon, spent a year living and traveling in South America, and trekked through legendary ranges in Patagonia, Nepal, Tibet, and Peru. More recently my photography has focused on the incredible nature found in my beloved Pacific Northwest, as well as the alien geography of the desert Southwest. Photographing these adventures was an important aspect of each experience. Wherever I traveled I kept a camera in hand, taking thousands of images which aimed to convey the magical moments that inevitably occur while moving through Earth's most magnificent landscapes. This quest has proven to be every bit as exciting, humbling, and satisfying as climbing a peak in the Cascades or visiting some distant land previously known only in my imagination. The best trips are always the next trips and the best images are the ones I don’t know yet exist. Personal exploration and discovery hold a magic all their own.
Michele Sons
Michele Sons is a fine art landscape and nature photographer, writer, and educator based in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, with clients including National Geographic, The Wilderness Society, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Smokies Life, and other non-profits that serve our nation’s national parks. Her work tends toward quiet, pared-down, subtle representations of her deep reverence for the natural world. Fog, mist, and soft light are intrinsic elements present in many of her images. Michele's uniquely nomadic background, advanced degrees in environmental biology and physical geography, and a 20-year corporate career in spatial analysis provide a personal perspective that informs her creative focus on connection and expression.
Michele empowers creative outdoor photographers to find meaningful connections with nature and grow in their artistry. The Art of Place is Michele’s holistic education resource for landscape and nature photographers, encompassing the entirety of the art and craft of photography. Through her eBooks, private online mentoring, and private field workshops, Michele shares her unique approach to expressive image-making. Learn how to connect with the natural world and express yourself confidently and creatively.
Michele’s work has been featured extensively in the National Geographic Beautiful Landscapes calendars, she has participated in group and solo museum and gallery exhibitions both domestically and internationally, and she has collaborated with non-profits on editorial work in support of America's national parks. Her work has been featured in numerous local and regional print publications as well as highly regarded websites. Michele served as 2022 New River Gorge Creative-in-Residence at our nation’s newest national park, and is a 2023 recipient of the Inspired Creator Grant.
Michele’s educational eBooks RIVERSONG: Creative, Holistic Approaches to Photographing New River Gorge and THE ART OF FOG: A Primer for Expressive Landscape and Nature Photography in Fog are available for purchase on her website.
Sarah Marino
Sarah Marino is a full-time photographer, nature enthusiast, and writer based in southwestern Colorado. In addition to photographing grand landscapes, Sarah is best known for her photographs of smaller subjects including intimate landscapes, abstract renditions of natural subjects, and creative portraits of plants and trees.
Sarah is the author or co-author of a diverse range of educational resources for nature photographers on subjects including composition, photographing nature’s small scenes, black and white photography, Death Valley National Park, and Yellowstone National Park.
Sarah, a co-founder of the Nature First Alliance for Responsible Nature Photography, also seeks to promote the responsible stewardship of natural and wild places through her photography and teaching.
Talor Stone
Talor Stone is a PhD researcher and photographer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. After serving as a federal agent for the United States military, Talor broke from the traditional career path to pursue photography.
As an Arctic specialist, Talor has spent a significant amount of time exploring the northern region. Her summers in Greenland have inspired numerous academic research projects on topics like globalization and indigenous identity. These themes are echoed in her photographic pursuits which focus heavily on Arctic landscapes and other climate change-inspired projects that visually explore the real-life aspects of her academic subjects.
To further this mission, Talor is partnering with filmmaker Ashlei Payne to produce a documentary about the modern changes of hunting culture in northern Greenland
Talor’s work is about more than photography. Her images merge science and art to highlight themes of transition and fragility and to emotionally connect viewers to places few will ever visit. Her hope is to raise awareness that climate-threatened landscapes are more than data points, charts, and statistics – they’re living places that deserve to be protected in their own right.
As an educator, Talor considers it a priority to enhance awareness and appreciation of the natural world through speaking engagements and hands-on education. Her photography workshops focus on introducing others to these magical and remote places and creating a deeper understanding of the environment while also learning new technical skills. Talor is proud to be a Pro with Muench Workshops who offer incredible and immersive photography experiences worldwide.
Theo Bosboom
Theo Bosboom is a passionate photographer from the Netherlands, specializing in nature and landscapes. In 2013, he turned his back on a successful legal career to pursue his dream of being a fulltime professional photographer. He is widely regarded as a creative photographer with a strong eye for detail and composition and always trying to find fresh perspectives.
For many landscape photographers, intimate landscapes are a genre they start practicing at a later point in their career, often out of a desire to create more subtle and personal work. For Theo, the situation is different. From the very beginning of his photographic career (some 20 years ago), he has developed a strong preference for intimate landscapes. And this is reflected in his work. He is widely regarded as one of the super specialists in this field, with a very individual view of nature and often creative and original angles. Theo has also been giving workshops and lectures on this subject for many years, so he also has a lot of experience in sharing his knowledge in this area.
