CAROLYN WILLIS PHOTOGRAPHY - BILLINGS, MONTANA

Photographer Carolyn Willis grew up in Great Falls, Montana and has been interested in photography as long as she can remember. She has two grown daughters, one who lives in Billings and one living in Missoula. Carolyn and her husband, Steve, reside in Billings.

Carolyn says, “My grandfather bought me my first Brownie camera when I was six years old. I still remember carefully rolling that 620 film until the next picture number was perfectly aligned in the little window on the camera before I could take a picture. My grandpa and my dad both had darkrooms, and I grew up helping them develop negatives, print photos and make enlargements. I loved to watch the images appear on the paper as I gently swished them around in the trays of fluid. My dad bought me a Polaroid "Swinger" camera when I was a pre-teen, but although I loved the instant photos, I wasn't happy with their quality. When I was a teenager, I was given a Kodak Instamatic camera with the "flashcubes" and that is what I used to take most of the photos of my youth. When I was in my 20s, I obtained my first 35mm camera, an old Canon T-50 which I still have and which still takes great photos.

I like all types of photography, from wildlife shots to skimboarders riding the waves. Old buildings are of special interest to me, as they are full of character - which I try to capture in my photos. I now use a Canon EOS 7D for most of my work, with a 70-300mm telephoto lens for wildlife shots.”

You may contact Carolyn at: carolynwillisphotography@bresnan.net