John's Resume

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Career Highlights:

Six photo books  on  Nature Photography,  Denver,  Boulder,  and commercial studio/location photography.
Twenty five years as professional photographer in all aspects of photography (editorial, stock, teaching, commercial advertising, studio & location).
Forty years exploring and professionally photographing  Colorado, the wilds of the American West, and Europe, much of it solo. 
Keyword search my website.
Masters degree in Entomology (Washington State University). Bachelors degree in Zoology/Entomolgy (double major).

Photo Resume for John Kieffer

About John  (less conventional)

Photo Credits and Clients for John Kieffer

Software & Hardware Skills:
Adobe Creative Cloud, Photoshop (15 years), Lightroom, PhotoShelter, MicroSoft Office Suite, Extensis Portfolio.
Very computer and design literate. Mac and Windows. Keywording, Photo Editing and retouching, Web Design
Skilled with DSLR, Mirrorless (point & shoot) cameras and Smart Phones, professional lighting & related hardware, any environment.
Old school photo skills: 4x5 inch view camera, B+W photography and printing.
1998 - Built my first web site, KiefferNatureStock.com   Began my transition to digital photography and  film scanning.
Started KNS Multimedia, a company to design and build integrated photo CDs and websites, for marketing by stock agencies and photographers.
Started Kieffer Nature Stock, a stock photo agency to represent my imagery and other photographers. Then Outside Imagery LLC.

Photographed book

  “Boulder, Colorado: A Photographic Portrait”
Coffee-table style book with 150 color photos. I selected all subjects and locations. Supplied all imagery, both film and digital. Prepared all digital files for press.
Twin Lights Publishers, 2006,  TwinLightsPub.com    Slide Show from Twin Lights Publishing

Wrote & photographed book: “Mastering Nature Photography: Shooting & Selling in the Digital Age.”

Text and photography explains how to shoot landscapes and natural subjects, in North America.
Discusses digital cameras, composition, what sells, file formats and marketing in the digital age.
In depth coverage of wilderness travel, survival and life on the road as a nature photographer.
278 pages, 500 captioned photos, including photo CD-ROM designed by John Kieffer.
Allworth Press website


Wrote & photographed book:  "The Photographer's Assistant"   Second Edition
Covers all aspects of professional commercial photogrpahy and how to get employed as an assitant. Digital cameras, flash lighting, location and studio techniques.
Completely updated to encompass digital photography, scanning and electronic marketing.
246 pages, 9 interviews, 4 appendices, glossary, index.
Book reviews of "The Photographer's Assistant"
Allworth Press (New York City),  2001,  Allworth.com


Wrote & photographed book:  “The Photographer’s Assistant: Learn the Inside Secrets of Professional Photography – and Get Paid for It.”
The first book of its kind and critically acclaimed in the Sunday New York Times. Covers all aspects of commercial photography, studio and location.
208 pages, 7 interviews, 4 appendices, glossary, index.
Allworth Press (New York City)  Allworth.com
Book reviews for:  "The Photographer's Assistant" by John Kieffer

Workshops & Lectures:

Beyond Nature: Expanding Your Horizons Beyond Nature,  Workshop

File Formats for Photography
   Lecture 1

Compostion & Editing Your Photos, Lecture 2


2000 to 2004 - KNS Multimedia and Kieffer Nature Stock
Designed and implemented our proprietary software for photographers, artists and stock photo agencies.
Integrated CD-ROM stock photo catalogs and websites for cost effective marketing.
Represented other outdoor photographers through Kieffer Nature Stock and later, Outside Imagery LLC.
Stock Photo Catalogs with websites for photographers and stock agencies


Royalty-free Stock Photo Catalogs with integrated websites.


1998 - Begin transition from film to digital photography
Digital capture in the studio, film scanning, website development and digital marketing.
Designed and implemented my first website:  KiefferNatureStock.com

1990 to 2005 - Commercial and Stock Photographer, Transition from film to digital
Extensive use of 4x5 inch view camera to photograph landscapes of the American West.
Commercial advertising and editorial photography, in the studio and on location.
Printed marketing materials, before digital.

Early digital materials. CD-ROM stock photo catalogs with integrated websites.

1988 to 1991 - Photographic Assistant and Writer
Began my professional photo career as a photographer's assistant in New York City, then Denver-Boulder, Colorado.  Worked for commercial, advertising and editorial photographers, in the studio and on location. Wrote magazine articles on hiking and natural history.

Books by John Kieffer


1990 to present - Stock Photographer, Stock Agency Owner
Currently represented by Getty Images. I have been with many stock photo agencies, including Stock Imagery (Denver), Peter Arnold (NYC), Photo Library (London).
Outside Imagery  -  Home Page


 1981 to 1987 - Corporate Sales and Marketing
Medical instrumentation and electronic research equipment, Denver-based.

Formal Education:
Graduated with Master of Science degree in Entomology
Washington State University, Pullman, WA (transcripts available)

Graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology & Entomology
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO (transcripts available)

Pertinent Courses:
Algebra, Art Appreciation, Art History, Animal Behavior, Biology, Behavioral Genetics, Botany, Chemistry (lots),
Calculus, Ecology, Entomology (extensive), Evolution, Geology, Range Ecology, Insect Ecology, Insect Identification,
Insect Taxonomy, Invertebrate Biology, History (western civilization), Microbiology, Orienteering, Ornithology, Advanced Ornithology, Plant Identification,
Photographic Lighting, Photography for Science, Physics, Statistics, Studio Lighting, Vertebrate Anatomy, 
Vertebrate Physiology, View Camera, Wildlife Biology, Zoology.