Rod Barbee

Remember those aptitude tests they gave you back in grade school, the ones that told you what career you might be suited for? Well, Rod Barbee's tests showed that he should be a teacher. Seeing as how, at ten years old, his vision of a teacher was wrinkled up, eraser-throwing Mrs. Shipley, you can understand how this didn't sit well.

But those aptitude tests seem to have some merit after all. The former Boeing electronic technician, who likes to say that he was "under worked and over paid," left his 40-hour per week job at the end of 1999 to pursue a career in nature photography. And that pursuit led him to teaching nature photography.

And no, he doesn't throw erasers. Neither is he wrinkled. Yet.

For the past nine years, Rod has been leading and co-leading photo workshops across the country teaching photographic as well as Photoshop skills. He's taught with such notable photographers as David Middleton, David Muench, Bill Fortney, and Jack Dykinga. He also teams up several times a year with his good friend Don Mammoser.

A skilled and enthusiastic instructor, he likes nothing more than sharing his knowledge, ideas, and occasional sarcastic observations.

Rod is the author of The Photographer's Guide to Puget Sound and Northwest Washington and co-author of The Photographer's Guide to the Oregon Coast (with David Middleton). His images have been used in calendars, magazines, cards, websites, and books. He's also been a regular contributor to Outdoor Photographer magazine.

Rod lives on Washington's Olympic peninsula with his wife Tracy and their dog Bailey. He enjoys walking one and hanging out with the other.