Smyrna Chapter Meeting Tom Wilson on the Chattahoochee River

Join us as Tom Wilson shows us his favorite locations on the Chattahoochee River to photograph in time for fall color.
Tom Wilson began making photographs at age 40. His work stems from a life-long love of nature and the outdoors. He has worked extensively on the Chattahoochee River providing images for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy, Georgia River Network, The Atlanta Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, Cumberland Island National Seashore and other conservation-oriented organizations. His work has appeared in Blue Ridge Country Magazine, The Atlantan Magazine, National Geographic Maps, Environmental Monitor, Southern Exposure Magazine (cover), The Nature Conservancy Magazine and North Fulton Living. His work appears in numerous calendars, books (including "The Official Boy Scout Handbook 13th edition) and web sites. His work was selected by the National Park Service to be the centerpiece of the Chattahoochee River "Healthy Parks" campaign in 2005 and 2006 appearing on MARTA Buses and Billboards throughout the Atlanta Area. In 2017 he supplied 42 images for the Headquarters display at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area on Island Ford Parkway and he supplied an additional 50 images for signage throughout the park.. His work has been displayed in numerous public spaces including Shepherd Spinal Center, Barnes and Thornburg Law Firm, Coxe, Curry and Associates, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Headquarters and signage throughout the park.

Tom has won numerous awards including Roswell Photo Society Photographer of the Year twice, Grand Prize Winner in the Nikon "Publish Your Passion Photo Essay Contest" twice; Travel Photographer's Network "Image of the Year" 2003, First Place in the Atlanta Audubon Society 2008 Photo Contest and the very prestigious "All Time Winner" from Better Photo.com's 20th anniversary contest held in 2016.

Tom believes strongly that nature photographers should be nature advocates and use their cameras to protect and preserve our vanishing natural world, documenting the threats to our precious resources and sharing the beauty that makes it worth protecting. He works extensively to document natural areas of Georgia and provide images to organizations such as the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, The National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, Georgia River Network, Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, The Atlanta Audubon Society, Chattahoochee Parks Conservancy and others. Tom’s photo recently appeared on the cover of Salley Bethea’s book, “Keeping the Chattahoochee.”

Tom retired from a 33-year career as an Executive with the Boy Scouts of America in December of 2016 to pursue Nature Photography full time. In 2018 he worked on a project with Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to update their library of photographs and with the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area to update their signage throughout the park. Tom enjoys hiking, camping, birding, amateur astronomy, astrophotography and just about anything else that gets him outside.
Tom attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He has been a member of several Rotary Clubs including Alpharetta, East Cobb and Marietta. Tom is a Paul Harris Fellow. He has served as President of the Roswell Photo Society, Vice President of the Georgia Nature Photographer’s Association as well as Conservation Committee Chairman and later as Communication Committee Chairman. Tom frequently gives talks at photo clubs throughout Georgia and remains very active as a nature photographer.