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Growing up in the Berkshires in western Massachusetts, Josh Mann has always had a fond love and spiritual connection with nature. Once out of high school and with the desire to find bigger mountains and more snow, he found a home for himself across the country in Mammoth Lakes, CA, in 2007 with a guitar and a pair of skis. He quickly involved himself in the local community through his love for skiing and playing music. Having played in several local bands and sitting in with countless traveling musicians, he is better known as one of the best guitar players on the east side.
After years of living the “first chair, last call” lifestyle, Josh adopted an Afghan mountain dog in 2015 which brought him deeper into the surrounding wilderness with a revived enthusiasm for hiking and being amongst nature. Having only a phone camera, he began to develop a passion for photography while sharing adventures with his dog.
"My favorite part about photography is the ability to share what I see and feel with others. It’s just another form of composing. I think I have always had a knack for composition, being a guitarist and skier. It's all about composition. How does it feel, how does it resonate, and do the two portray each other? So, I bought a camera and learned how to use it. Like skis and guitars, it's just a tool to accomplish something much greater with the hope of being able to inspire others."
In 2020 and now with three dogs, Josh lost his day job due to the global shutdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic. He quickly saw an opportunity to work for himself and focus more on what drives his life, starting with the purchase of his first real camera.
"How can I become more a part of my own life, the lives of those around me, and sustain myself doing it?"
It all came together in a roundabout way. With the influx of tourism during the pandemic summer, he decided to take to the night to get his time in with nature.
"At the beginning It was really all about the dogs, they needed their freedom and space and I guess I needed it too. The nighttime was the perfect venue to find it all. I took one dark photo one night, and that was that; it instantly became this part of me that I didn't know I was looking for.
From that one photo the obsession began. He spent every night during that summer taking pictures under the stars and being free with his dogs amongst the peace and quiet of the Sierra nights. no time was wasted in learning how to process and print night photography to make it a tangible piece of art for others to admire.
Today, Josh continues to work hard at expanding his knowledge of photography and striving to give his dogs the ultimate freedom.
You can find Josh’s work amongst local coffee shops and Southern California Galleries.