John Batdorff is an award-winning landscape and travel photographer and a nationally recognized authority on black and white photography. Splitting his time between Chicago and Montana, John enjoys the solitude of the countryside as well as the bustling city, finding subjects to photograph in both places. He also loves to see the world, having traveled to Africa, India and Europe, as well as 49 out of 50 United States.

John has authored Black and White: From Snapshots to Great Shots, as well as Nikon D7000: From Snapshots to Great Shots and coauthored Composition: From Snapshots to Great Shots. John also has released a DVD to complement Black and White: From Snapshots to Great Shots. He especially loves black and white photography because of the strong compositions, textures, and timeless feel. Growing up in the newspaper industry, he “learned to visualize things in black and white,” and he has used that ability to create his own monochromatic style including high-contrast, highly-textured images.

John’s work has been featured in the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Travel Photographer and Digital Photo Experience. John loves the outdoors and traveling, and sharing images with others. His most important message is to “just have fun.” “If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, what’s the point?” He leads workshops and mentors other aspiring photographers. “Finding a mentor is a powerful way to get real feedback from someone who can objectively assess your work. There is simply nothing better for improving your photography and developing a style.”