Previously to beginning his practice in professional photography, as a full-time endeavor starting in April 2003, Jim Crotty worked in the corporate arena in marketing communications, public relations and human resource management. He has held corporate management positions for employers in a variety of industries in both his home state of Ohio as well as the nearly four years he resided in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was from those experiences working in corporate positions that Jim came to understand and the value of professionalism, dependability and commitment to the customer.
While living in the western United States that Jim rediscovered his love and passion for the field of photography.
Photography first took root when he was 12 years old, exploring the natural woodlands that surrounded his childhood home near Dayton with a Pentax Spotmatic F 35mm camera. It wasn't long before he was developing his own black and white images in a homemade darkroom and selling them as framed prints at a local gallery.
“I enjoy the process of creating images that visually communicate a feeling, a story and a memory that are original to my unique artistic talents, technological skills and personal vision of the world and light around us.
The feeling of accomplishment that I consistently experience from this photographic creative process is matched only by the satisfaction I experience when delivering to my clients a finished product that inspires the imagination, pleases the eye and presents the subject in a light and environment never to be repeated again.
I am an artist, a visual communicator and most of all, a story teller.”
In addition to creating fine art photography of nature, landscapes, wildlife and cityscapes, Jim provides a full range of commercial and freelance photography services through his photography business, Picture Ohio, LLC. He also presents and teaches a regular program of both local and destination workshops on nature and landscape photography as well as basic digital editing and workflow.
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Jim is a graduate of the University of Dayton where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Management. He also attended the graduate program of studies at Westminster College of Salt Lake City where he earned a Master of Arts in Professional Communication.
Jim served honorably in the United States Marine Corps Reserve while completing his undergraduate education at the University of Dayton.
Managing Picture Ohio, LLC from his home office and studio in Centerville, Ohio and is a member of the Professional Photographers of America, Professional Photographers of Ohio, North American Nature Photography Association and National Association of Photoshop Professionals. Jim resides in Centerville, Ohio and he is the proud father of two daughters who Jim likes to say "are my everything."
In 2009 Jim awarded the Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) designation by the Professional Photographic Certification Commission. Earning such a designation, which currently includes less than 2,000 pro photographers in the U.S., involved passing a comprehensive written examination measuring technical expertise and successfully submitting work to a panel of judges for review and approval.
Current Employer
Picture Ohio, LLC
Current Job Title
Owner and Photographer
I specialize in...
Commercial and freelance photography services to include corporate portraits, editorial, architecture, product, events. Fine art nature and landscape work to include print sales and installations as well as stock image licensing from a library of over 10,000 photographs. Also, the presentation of photography workshops and presentations with topics that include the basics of nature photography, digital workflow, artistic vision and creativity.
Jim Crotty’s Interests:
Snow Skiing, PADI Certified Open Water Diver, Civil War history, travel, reading, cycling, camping and hiking
Artistic Influences and Inspiration:
Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Art Wolfe, John Shaw, David Middleton, Rick Sammon, Tom Till, Jim Brandeburg
Jim Crotty’s Groups:
Professional Photographers of America
Professional Photographers of Ohio
North American Nature Photography Association
Outdoor Writers of Ohio
National Association of Photoshop Professionals
Awards
One Award of Achievement; three Honorable Mentions, 2010 Mid-East States Regional Print Competition
1st and 2nd Place, 2009 Professional Photographers of Ohio Fall Print Competition, Nature Non-Master
Three Awards of Achievement, Illustrative Category, 2009 Professional Photographers of Ohio Print Competition
Three Honorable Mentions, Illustrative Category, 2009 Professional Photographers of Ohio Print Competition
Silver Addy, 2008 Dayton Advertising Association Hermes Awards, Elements of Advertising/Photography
1st Place, Midwest Division, 2008 National Historic Landmark Photo Competition, National Park Service
1st Place: Best Color Nature Photo, Outdoor Writers of Ohio, 2008 Spring Conference
Award of Excellence as a Finalist in Photographer's Forum Magazine 27th Annual Spring Photography Contest
1st Place, New Life – Professional Division, 2006 National Wildlife Photography Awards Competition, National Wildlife Magazine
Bronze Addy, 2007 Dayton Advertising Association Hermes Awards, Elements of Advertising/Photography
Bronze Addy, 2007 Dayton Advertising Association Hermes Awards, Collateral Material/Brochure
1st Place: Best Black and White Nature Photo, Outdoor Writers of Ohio, 2006 Spring Conference
Bronze Addy, 2005 Dayton Advertising Club Hermes Awards, Elements of Advertising/Photography
Bronze Addy, 2005 Dayton Advertising Club Hermes Awards, Arts/Self-Promotion
Award of Merit, The View 2004 – All-Ohio Juried Landscape Competition, Rosewood Gallery of Kettering, Ohio
Award of Merit, The View 2003, Rosewood Gallery, Kettering, Ohio
Commercial and Editorial Clients
Over the Back Fence Magazine
Ohio Magazine
Ohio State Parks Magazine
Rittal Corporation
Beazer Homes
Housetrends Magazine/Reach Publishing
Dental Economics Magazine
Mills-Morgan Development Ltd.
Battelle and Battelle, LLP
Idea Television
General Dynamics
Cherbo Publishing Group
Great Lakes Publishing
University of Dayton
Veolia Water
Installations of Fine Art Nature and Landscape Prints
Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
St. Rita's Hospital, Lima, Ohio
Zangmeister Center, Columbus, Ohio
Portsmouth Family Care Center, Portsmouth, Ohio
Grayson Family Center, Grayson, Kentucky
Public Presentations
NYC Chapter of the Sierra Club, Manhattan, NY
The Dayton Rotary Club
2006 Shoot the Hills Weekend, Hocking Hills, Ohio
Tripod Camera Club, Dayton, Ohio
Focus Photo Club, Dayton, Ohio
The Orvis Store, Dayton, Ohio
Publication
Spiritus: A Journal of Christian Spirituality, Spring 2010, The John Hopkins University Press
Cover Photo and feature article - "Two for One," Housetrends Magazine, April 2010
December 2009 Smithsonian Magazine
Cover Photo - Fall 2009 - Ohio State Parks Magazine
Cover Photo - May 2009 Issue - Ohio Magazine
2009 Calendar, National Park Service - National Historic Landmarks
The Digital Canvas, Layers Magazine, January/February 2009
Feature Article, “The Time Keepers Design,” Housetrends Magazine, November/December 2008
Cover and feature article - Housetrends Magazine, April/May 2008 Issue
Cover - Trail Guide Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 3rd Edition, 2007
Cuyahoga Valley Trails Council, Gray and Co. Publishers
Redrock Almanac: Canyon Country Vignettes, by Michael Engelhard,
published by Johnson Books
Feature Story – Beautiful Ohio, June 2007 Ohio Magazine
December 2006/January 2007 National Wildlife Magazine
Cover – Fall 2006 Issue of Ohio State Parks Magazine
Cover and Feature Article, Living Arts Magazine, Jul-Sept 2006
Cover – Spring 2006 Issue of Ohio State Parks Magazine
Dayton: On the Wings of Progress, Cherbo Publishing Group, Inc., January 2006
Ohio Archaeology, Orange Frazer Press 2005