Each year we select up to 12 featured photographers who reside in Texas and consider themselves Texan, or they photograph and highlight the beauty of Texas in their work. Since our founding in 2019, we've showcased the amazing work of a variety of photographers, from published pros to emerging artists. Take a look at our Past Photographers page to be inspired. And check out our talented class of 2026 below:
2026 Featured Photographers
Claire Porter
Claire lives in the Texas Hill Country Southwest of Austin,Texas. At the young age of 10 she fell in love with horses and spent time showing in the Western Region throughout high school.
She received a BFA from Southern Methodist University focusing on photography and painting. She usually had her camera in hand but a few years ago she decided to travel on a photo safari to photograph horses and cowboy imagery. As a result of that experience Claire's two worlds joined together. She is passionate about creating emotional equine photographs. Her Fine Art images evoke the elegance, power and grace of the majestic equine.
@claireporterphotography
Claire lives in the Texas Hill Country Southwest of Austin,Texas. At the young age of 10 she fell in love with horses and spent time showing in the Western Region throughout high school.
She received a BFA from Southern Methodist University focusing on photography and painting. She usually had her camera in hand but a few years ago she decided to travel on a photo safari to photograph horses and cowboy imagery. As a result of that experience Claire's two worlds joined together. She is passionate about creating emotional equine photographs. Her Fine Art images evoke the elegance, power and grace of the majestic equine.
@claireporterphotography
Julie Chapa
Julie Chapa is a travel and nature photographer based in Rosharon, Texas. She has developed a deep connection to the Texas Gulf Coast, where she captures the region’s beauty through her lens. While she photographs a wide range of subjects, she has a special passion for birds and landscapes. Early mornings, with their soft light and tranquil atmosphere, are her favorite times to shoot.
A self-taught photographer, Julie continues to refine her craft through workshops and online tutorials. Her work is driven by a desire to inspire others to explore new places or to rekindle memories of past adventures. She is a member of the Galveston Art League and the Texas Photographic Society, and her photography was recently featured in Coast Monthly Magazine.
@juliechapaphotography
Julie Chapa is a travel and nature photographer based in Rosharon, Texas. She has developed a deep connection to the Texas Gulf Coast, where she captures the region’s beauty through her lens. While she photographs a wide range of subjects, she has a special passion for birds and landscapes. Early mornings, with their soft light and tranquil atmosphere, are her favorite times to shoot.
A self-taught photographer, Julie continues to refine her craft through workshops and online tutorials. Her work is driven by a desire to inspire others to explore new places or to rekindle memories of past adventures. She is a member of the Galveston Art League and the Texas Photographic Society, and her photography was recently featured in Coast Monthly Magazine.
@juliechapaphotography
Michael Simmons
Michael Simmons is a U.S. Military Veteran, retired first responder, and passionate landscape photographer whose love of adventure drives every image he creates. After two decades of service, he turned the page to a new chapter, chasing light in the wildest places on earth and sharing that journey with others.
Fueled by exploration and a relentless pursuit of the perfect composition, Michael leads immersive landscape and astrophotography workshops that take photographers far beyond the ordinary. His years of public service and experience as an instructor give him a rare ability to teach with clarity, patience, and purpose, helping photographers of all levels capture breathtaking scenes under some of the darkest and most inspiring skies in the world.
@distantlightphotos
Michael Simmons is a U.S. Military Veteran, retired first responder, and passionate landscape photographer whose love of adventure drives every image he creates. After two decades of service, he turned the page to a new chapter, chasing light in the wildest places on earth and sharing that journey with others.
Fueled by exploration and a relentless pursuit of the perfect composition, Michael leads immersive landscape and astrophotography workshops that take photographers far beyond the ordinary. His years of public service and experience as an instructor give him a rare ability to teach with clarity, patience, and purpose, helping photographers of all levels capture breathtaking scenes under some of the darkest and most inspiring skies in the world.
@distantlightphotos
Annabelle Collette
Annabelle Collette was born in Austin, Texas and raised in Georgetown, TX. She is an artist, photographer, and designer. One of her early photographs, Parachute, 2017, received a Gold Key Award from the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The photograph was exhibited at The New School and she was honored at Carnegie Hall in New York City, NY. That same year, the Mayor of Georgetown, TX, Dale Ross, proclaimed September 26, 2017, as “Annabelle Richardson Day” in recognition of her artistic achievements in the community.
She moved to Maine in 2018 to pursue her BFA in Photography from the Maine College of Art & Design and graduated in 2022. Following graduation, she worked as the photographer for Maine College of Art & Design and as a commercial photographer in Portland, Maine. She recently relocated back to Texas in 2025 and is working as a commercial photographer and designer.
Her work has been published in Decor Maine, Maine Home + Design, & Magazine, Portland Press Herald, Maine College of Art & Design, and The Hechinger Report. She has exhibited work at the Bakery Photo Collective in Portland, ME, The New School in New York City, NY, and Institute of Contemporary Art in Portland, ME, among others.
@annabellecollettphoto
Annabelle Collette was born in Austin, Texas and raised in Georgetown, TX. She is an artist, photographer, and designer. One of her early photographs, Parachute, 2017, received a Gold Key Award from the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The photograph was exhibited at The New School and she was honored at Carnegie Hall in New York City, NY. That same year, the Mayor of Georgetown, TX, Dale Ross, proclaimed September 26, 2017, as “Annabelle Richardson Day” in recognition of her artistic achievements in the community.
She moved to Maine in 2018 to pursue her BFA in Photography from the Maine College of Art & Design and graduated in 2022. Following graduation, she worked as the photographer for Maine College of Art & Design and as a commercial photographer in Portland, Maine. She recently relocated back to Texas in 2025 and is working as a commercial photographer and designer.
Her work has been published in Decor Maine, Maine Home + Design, & Magazine, Portland Press Herald, Maine College of Art & Design, and The Hechinger Report. She has exhibited work at the Bakery Photo Collective in Portland, ME, The New School in New York City, NY, and Institute of Contemporary Art in Portland, ME, among others.
@annabellecollettphoto
Elena Fontenot
Elena was born in Russia, surrounded by the beauty of its architecture, literature, and fine art. After five years of art school, she sees every frame through an artist’s eye.
Elena began photographing eight years ago, starting with fine art photography—a style that still runs like a red thread through all of her work. Today, weddings are Elena's main focus, but the elegance and timelessness of fine art remain at the heart of every celebration she capture. It’s the kind of photography meant to be passed from generation to generation.
@elenka2kolenki
Elena was born in Russia, surrounded by the beauty of its architecture, literature, and fine art. After five years of art school, she sees every frame through an artist’s eye.
Elena began photographing eight years ago, starting with fine art photography—a style that still runs like a red thread through all of her work. Today, weddings are Elena's main focus, but the elegance and timelessness of fine art remain at the heart of every celebration she capture. It’s the kind of photography meant to be passed from generation to generation.
@elenka2kolenki
Esmeralda Gonzalez
Esmeralda Gonzalez is the owner of Portrait Design by Esmeralda, a portrait studio in Leander, Texas. She specializes in creating timeless family portraits, personal branding imagery, and celebration sessions that blend artistry with storytelling. With a passion for capturing life’s most meaningful moments, Esmeralda helps her clients preserve memories that will be treasured for generations.
@portrait_designn_by_esmeralda
Esmeralda Gonzalez is the owner of Portrait Design by Esmeralda, a portrait studio in Leander, Texas. She specializes in creating timeless family portraits, personal branding imagery, and celebration sessions that blend artistry with storytelling. With a passion for capturing life’s most meaningful moments, Esmeralda helps her clients preserve memories that will be treasured for generations.
@portrait_designn_by_esmeralda
John John Montelongo
Award winning photographer. Shadow catcher. Noir Photographer capturing the mysteries of Light and Shadows. @johnjohnphotos33
Award winning photographer. Shadow catcher. Noir Photographer capturing the mysteries of Light and Shadows. @johnjohnphotos33
Michael Gonzalez
Michael Gonzalez is a photojournalist and film photographer based in Brownsville, Texas. Raised in a Hispanic household in the Rio Grande Valley, Michael developed a passion for telling stories through a lens that reflects life on the border. Michael started his photography journey in the darkroom with analog processes and eventually pursued photojournalism after discovering the vital role they play in informing the public and documenting history.
Today, his work spans across publications such as The Texas Tribune, Getty Images, and The Associated Press, as well as various domestic and international news outlets. His assignments range anywhere from immigration and border life stories to environmental and political coverage. When they’re not traveling across Texas on assignment, Michael and his wife Daniela can often be found exploring the world together with cameras always in hand.
@michael.gonzlz
Michael Gonzalez is a photojournalist and film photographer based in Brownsville, Texas. Raised in a Hispanic household in the Rio Grande Valley, Michael developed a passion for telling stories through a lens that reflects life on the border. Michael started his photography journey in the darkroom with analog processes and eventually pursued photojournalism after discovering the vital role they play in informing the public and documenting history.
Today, his work spans across publications such as The Texas Tribune, Getty Images, and The Associated Press, as well as various domestic and international news outlets. His assignments range anywhere from immigration and border life stories to environmental and political coverage. When they’re not traveling across Texas on assignment, Michael and his wife Daniela can often be found exploring the world together with cameras always in hand.
@michael.gonzlz
Paul Ayres
My journey as a photographer began in Texas, where the vast skies, rugged landscapes, and cultural heritage of my home shaped the way I see the world. As a sixth-generation Texan and avid outdoorsman, I am drawn to capture the untamed beauty around me, from the Hill Country to the wide horizons of Big Bend and the Davis Mountains. Those experiences remain at the heart of my artistic vision and continue to inspire me today. @paulayresphotos
My journey as a photographer began in Texas, where the vast skies, rugged landscapes, and cultural heritage of my home shaped the way I see the world. As a sixth-generation Texan and avid outdoorsman, I am drawn to capture the untamed beauty around me, from the Hill Country to the wide horizons of Big Bend and the Davis Mountains. Those experiences remain at the heart of my artistic vision and continue to inspire me today. @paulayresphotos
