Randal Pair

Bio-training experience

I fell in love with the outdoors, and photographing nature, as a teenager. I learned some photography from my father, who had been trained as a photographer in the Navy, and still did photography as-part of his job as publications manager for a small interstate governmental body.

On my own, I found I had an eye for shape and color, first developed as a student in Albuquerque with hot-air balloons. Several of my friends purchased my balloon photos, and I sold some to a tourist shop in Old-Town.

My first real success was winning the Grand Prize in the First Balloon Fiesta photo contest: "Xanadu'' [name of the balloon].

I eventually earned an M.S. in Biology (specializing in plant ecology] from the Univ of New Mexico, and began working in the outdoors. I have been fortunate to have lived and worked in many beautiful places.