Paul Hassell

Though you might see his signature in the corner of a photograph of a black bear cub in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Paul Hassell isn't strictly a photographer. Paul is in the light business.

More often than not, that business plants him right in the middle of an adventure. One month, he might shoot for a group in Ethiopia, the next he might lead a photo tour to Patagonia.

An entrepreneur since the age of fifteen, a lover of solitude, and a loyal friend, Paul defies convention at every turn. You won't walk away from a conversation with him thinking how little you know about the nature of visible light. You'll walk away with the sense that Paul is doing what he was created to do. This at-home-ness in himself and his craft becomes a kind of permission for others to find their vocations and live them.

In his words: “I want to live a life that's open and honest. If I'm consistent, then my photography will speak this same language.”

Paul found what makes him tick and organized his life around that calling. He designed his own major at The University of TN: Freelance Photography and Writing for the Natural Environment. That's a mouthful. He's a member of North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) and Southern Appalachian Nature Photographers (SANP), but the credentials matter less to him than sharing the profound experience. He points the way to a bigger truth and deeper reality.

Paul grew up in Knoxville, TN, and that comfortable town is still his base camp. If you follow his blog or follow him on Facebook and Twitter, he'll take you around the world.

Hold on for the ride.