Paul Waldum developed an appreciation for nature as a young boy, hiking and climbing the mountains near Livingston, Montana. The memories of those expeditions, he recalls, left lasting sketches on his mind. "Nature's elements," he describes, "are driving forces in producing my artwork."

Waldum became a photographer when he was 16. After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from Montana State University, he toured colleges and universities around the country showing a multi-image slide show, "Creations of a Wilderness," that reflected his travels through the mountains of Montana. "We can often look at the grandeur of a mountain peak," he exclaims, "but fail to see its elements -- a drop of water, a blade of ...