Alex Noriega

Hello there! I’m a full-time nature photographer and photography educator based in the United States.

My photography journey began in 2010, while living in Minnesota and working in Information Technology. I purchased a camera to take better photos of the spare computer parts I was selling online, and I was immediately enthralled by the process of photography.

In that first year, I primarily focused on architecture and portraiture. But in 2011, a couple of friends and I took a road trip to California that would change the course of my life. It was on that journey that I first witnessed the mountains and deserts of the West, which I had previously known only through films and photographs. Seeing these rugged landscapes firsthand stirred something within me; I was inspired.

I moved to California that same year, and by 2012 I ended up in Oregon. It was then that I decided to focus exclusively on nature photography. I enjoyed exploring the mountains, forests, and coasts of the Pacific Northwest, but in the following years I made increasingly longer photography excursions to the desert Southwest. It is in those deserts that I have continued to find my greatest inspiration.

From 2019 to 2023, my girlfriend and I were full-time nomads, adventuring around the American West in our travel trailer. However, the call of the desert was too strong to ignore, and we are now have a home base in Southwestern Utah – not far from Zion National Park.

I want to convey a sense of mystery with my photographs – to spark the viewer’s imagination. Though I initially became known for grand landscapes, I now prefer to focus on more subtle, intimate scenes with less context. I have a great appreciation for the timeless compositions of the masters of film. I enjoy blending the influence of this classic style with contemporary techniques in my work. Composition and light are everything, aided (but not replaced) by development in the digital darkroom.

While you can follow me on social media (Instagram / Facebook / Threads / Twitter), I hope that you enjoy viewing my photography here on my website, where I have the greatest control over its presentation.