PHOTO BY KEVIN WASS
About Me
Born and raised in the southeast corner of the Missouri River Basin, in the forested Loess Hills of Northwest Missouri, I spent most of my childhood outside. My love for the mountains developed from a family trip to Colorado in the summer of 1990. Since then I've spent countless hours in mountain wilderness in a wide range of terrain and weather conditions. On most occasions you’ll find my beloved dogs at my side. I enjoy guiding others in their first deep wilderness experiences and sharing, through images and words, the beauty and peace of wild places with those who are unable to experience it firsthand.
I was a professional classical musician and teacher for over twenty-five years before pursuing a career as a full-time independent artist in mid-2018. I also spent eight years, from 2005-2013, in the United States Army Reserve. In March 2022, I became a certified dog trainer, and I regularly volunteer at local animal shelters, photographing and training adoptable dogs. I write at tifholmes.blog and lovedogs.blog, and maintain a YouTube channel at @lovedogsontheloose that focuses on living a creative life outdoors with dogs.
In early 2024, the dogs and I moved full-time into a 1995 Dodge Ram B2500 named "Guinevere Camper van Beethoven," and that experience has become a fun addition to my YouTube channel. If you would like to support my work and the many adventures that lead to the creation of that work, please consider becoming a member of my Patreon community.
Artist's Statement
My life, for as long as I can remember, has been deeply rooted in the outdoors. I owe this to my father, who for much of my young life was active in conservation efforts in the state of Missouri. Because of him, I had a very strong understanding of the interconnectedness of the more-than-human world long before I knew the buzzwords that others were using to talk about it in books and poems and academic research. The first time I read a deep ecology essay by Gary Snyder was like returning home but with different words to describe it. Since my childhood, wilderness areas have continued to provide me with the most spiritually, emotionally, and physically significant experiences of my life. Now inching ever closer to half a century on this earth, I’m just beginning to truly grasp the role my upbringing and connection to nature played in developing my creativity and resilience. Without the wild places of my youth, I would never have dared to imagine, to grow, to persist, or to love quite so deeply. While all of this exists beyond my identity as a photographer, I have found solace and sustenance in making this my work. My photographs are an expression of my gratitude for these places and experiences, and an urgent plea to others to take responsibility in honoring and protecting wilderness and its inhabitants.
Find me online:
Instagram: @lovedogsontheloose and @tifholmesphoto
Facebook: @tifholmes.lovedogs
Substack: @lovedogs and @tifholmes
YouTube: @lovedogsontheloose
Patreon: @lovedogsontheloose