Personal Testimonials about Mark W. Hutchison

"Thank you for the time you spent helping me during your workshop in Highlands. I'm fairly new to digital cameras, and especially new to shooting outdoors with the digital camera, so I am really grateful for your help. I can safely say you made me a better photographer. I appreciate the critiques and showing me how to fine tune an image in the camera and eliminating much work in the computer. This lets me know the finished print is really mine and not that of some software engineer who wrote the program. I can truly recommend a workshop in the Highlands wi th you." - Mary Whiteside / Gastonia, North Carolina - (2009 Workshop)

"Your love of outdoor photography was obvious. The workshop was helpful to me for the following reasons: My lack of awareness for composition was brought into focus; I became aware of the importance of light, how easy it is to overexpose photographs, and to feel that with more knowledge and experience I might greatly improve shots made in almost any light. Awareness, knowledge, and practice is what I gained. Thanks." - Luther Hudson / Acworth, Georgia - (2009 Workshop)

"The Highlands-Cashiers Plateau abounds with natural beauty and what a wonderful job you do of capturing it with your cameras. Your love of this very special place and your passion for preserving our natural heritage shines through in your work. The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust has been delighted to partner with you. From our first photo elk tour in 2008, to your contributions in our new book, 'First Creation' – you have been a welcome addition throughout this, our centennial year. I love your work. I've enjoyed getting to know you and appreciate your partnership with HCLT. Thank you for sharing your talents with us and by doing so, helping us to save the places we all love." - Julie Schott / Development Director - Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust Highlands, North Carolina - (2009)

"Mark Hutchison has been a vital part of VIEWS Magazine since 2001, providing excellent photography and writing for us. His photography of the Highlands Plateau is among our reader's favorite, and is also gracing our covers several issues each year. Mark Hutchison is a good reason we have been successful over the last 9 years! " - Bill Hemmer / Editor & Publisher of VIEWS Magazine - (2009)

"We at the Paulding Photography Club would like to express our gratitude for the excellent job Mark Hutchison has done for us. He judged our 1st Annual Paulding Photography Club Competition and did an excellent job - so much so that he is going to be judging the 2nd Annual Competition. He was also called in to judge our Landscape Competition last year. Another great job, & we are looking forward to his judging our 'Water' Photography Competition coming in April 2009. I had a number of comments from club members on the great job Mark did, and how much they appreciated his personal critiques. We thank Mark for all he has done for us, and we look forward to his future judgings for our organization." - Mike Nalley / Paulding Photography Club President / Dallas - (2009)

"Mark Hutchison has the uncanny ability to capture photographic images of outstanding quality. His medium & large format cameras, together with his digital lab work enhance his efforts, and specifically his interior lighting, bouncing light in a magaical way, hence the name of his company, 'Light Image Pro Digital.'He positions his cameras to maximize a quality image of inspired proportions. Mark is an outstanding architectural photographer." - Rand Soellner / Architect AIA/NCARB / Cashiers, North Carolina - (2009)

"I have known Mark Hutchison for better than two years and he is a true professional in the photography world. He has done photography work for me and it has truly enhanced my website. On a personal basis he has proven to be a man of his word. Mark is a man of many facets and celebrates life through his wonderful photography." - Sheila Giddens / Gallery Curator Mable House Arts Center / Mableton, Georgia - (2009)

"I want to congratulate you on your wonderful stories, poems and photographs in VIEWS Magazine, and the other magazines at Gallery 4463! I brought them home and read them this morning while I sipped my hot tea - (and you're right, in Autumn even our hot drinks taste better)! I'm honored to know you. You are an accomplished soul! - Elizabeth Chapman / Painter & fellow Member of Gallery 4463 /Acworth, GA - (2008)

"Please forgive me for not writing to you and telling you how much I appreciated and enjoyed the article on my Highlands Home in Pinnacle Mountain Homes Magazine. The article looked great. Michael and I keep a copy of the magazine within site in our family room. Many guests to the house have picked it up and read the article. Most are unfamiliar with Highlands, so the write-up and your photography gives them a real sense of our home in the mountains and why we love it. Despite my neglect, I do so thank you. Well done!"
- Sandra Brown / NY Times Best-Selling Author / Highlands, NC & Ft Worth, TX - (2008)

"Mark Hutchison is a consummate Professional Photographer & Teacher. His work is wide-ranging and employs great technical skills to create poetic evocations of nature. His photography reveals the beauty of everyday objects and the grandeur of wild landscapes. He is also a fine colleague who is willing to help advance the careers of other artists." - Roberta Griffin / Professor Emerita of Art / Kennesaw State University - (2008)

"I would like you to know that I enjoyed and benefitted from your class at the John Campbell Folk School. It motivated me to understand light and the many adjustments on the camera. The fact that you were able to give personal attention and took a sincere interest in all the students was extremely valuable and much appreciated. I just wanted to verbalize my feelings to you, as I missed seeing you before you left the Folk School."
- Martin Spatz / Charlotte, NC / Student @ John C. Campbell Folk School - (Workshop Oct 2008)

"Mark & I studied color photography with the late, great 20th Century Photographer, Eliot Porter, @ the Maine Photographic Workshops in 1984. What Mark chose to photograph showed his sensitivity and creativityto his subjects in a harmonious manner. through the years Mark has been teaching and giving critiques in his workshops and lectures with great enthusiasm. I would recommend him without qualification!" - Linda Ozag / Site Manager Newton Learning Center / Chicago - (2008)

"I want to thank you for your beautiful photography & words in the Fall issue of VIEWS Magazine. I see God in your photos and they make me cry with gratitude, for God is the source of all beauty. The Fall is my favorite time to photograph and that is when I feel the closest to God. I still love and appreciate the daily opportunities that are presented in my students' lives. Teaching, as photography, is such a gift. So, dear friend, keep shooting, it is God working thru you. Eliot Porter is smiling down on you, for he knows that you SEE and GET it. You really get it." - - Candace Stack / Teacher & Photographer / Gurnee, IL - (2008)

"I cannot think of another person with such depth and understanding of how light, composition, & creativity all work together to create a photographic image than Mark. These are skills that are imperative to great photography." - Tim Palmer / Owner & Digital Consultant / FTP : Filmless Tech & Photography / Atlanta - (2008)

"My word Mr. Hutchison.......you are one talented person. And a gentleman to go with....what a rare find in today's world! I wish that I had your photographic talent sir, but I am not a photographer by trade. My start to art was in miniature oils and had to transition into the art of photographic enhancing to achive the works I wanted to create. If I could handle a camera like you do I certainly would not need to use a computer mouse as an artist brush. I certainly do appreciate the talent of ones like yourself that can capture in the snap of a few seconds what took thousands of years to create. Wish you well in your endeavors this fall. What a beautiful office full of color you will be able to work in those breathtaking North Carolina mountains." - Sherry Reace /Artist / Fine Art America - (2008)

"As always it is good to see you. I was hoping I would. Not sure how but hoping I would. And then I come upon your workshop students and you on the Cashiers Road Overlook, teaching & working as usual! At least you are able to see your part in everything. That takes a lot of courage and strength. Courage to see it and the strength to admit it out loud. You are an outstanding Teacher and have a lot to give each and every one of those students in your workshops. Do what you do best!" - Sarah Valentine / Rainhouse Productions / Highlands, NC - (Workshop Assistant 2006 & 2007)

"I learned a lot from your class. I now use my camera with the manual settings (after cheating on the auto to see the numbers), then use the bracketing to make sure that I get the right shot. I’ve also made some shots of the moon coming up over the lake with the slow shutter speed. I didn’t realize how quickly the moon moves till I reviewed the pictures! You are a brilliant photographer and have such an unbelievable way of “finding light”. I never noticed light before." - Linda Lee / South Carolina / Student @ John C. Campbell Folk School (Workshop July 2007)

"Ashley had a spectacular week in Highlands and the days in your photo workshop. She hopes to put together a portfolio with her college application this fall using some of these photographs. You have truly inspired her from within to pursue her passion and interest in photography. Thank you for the days , each unique in nature, but rewarding! Your camera referral was perfect!" - Cathy Mitchell / North Carolina - (2006 Workshop)

"Just wanted to touch base. Hope you are recovering from the week. I enjoyed the workshop and learned so very much!!!" - John Collier / Florida - (2006 Workshop)

"I really enjoyed the workshop and do realize that I am a novice, but I will learn with more time, concentration, and small steps. I enjoyed our conversations other than photography--especially the ones centered around the spiritual. I enjoyed the article about you, "Happenings at Mill Creek Gallery & Framing," in the October issue of the Laurel Magazine, especially your quote: "My intention as a photographer is to allow for some small measure of the sacred to be seen through my own personal window, a frame onto the world in which I behold its glory; and hopefully, a glimpse into my soul and perhaps your own as well." What a quote! This quote is very evident in your photography. The photograph that appeared in this article is my favorite of all the photographs that I have seen of your work." - Patsy Bowie/Atlanta - (2005 Fall Workshop)

"I really enjoyed listening to you at the Cobb County Photography meeting. It was the very first photography meeting or lecture that I had ever been too. I was sort of surprised that I understood everything that you spoke about. I also realized that I was also already doing some of the things that you spoke of.
You inspired me so I got up early and went down to Sope Creek and then to Life University that has an old Village. I like to experiment and I took a lot of shots laying down on my stomach. I liked your ideas about the roads / paths to somewhere and I actually created the first photo for you. I wanted to share my inspiration with you and all photos were taken today. So once again thank you so much and I will be joing the club next month."
- Carolee / Cobb Photographic Society; Marietta, GA - (Lecture Presentation 2005)

"On behalf of the Members of the Cobb Photographic Society, I would like to thank you very much for speaking to our group tonight. We thoroughly enjoyed your program and found it to be quite informative and interesting. I hope you found your experience at our group to be just as satisfying. Once again, thank you for graciously giving us your time in presenting a wonderful program! - Roger Howard / Program Chairman/Cobb Photo Society; Atlanta - (Judge Photo Competition 2005)