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Michael W. Rutherford Career Summary

The moment may be spontaneous or the result of careful planning, but making it real, communicating it to the viewer, now that is where Mike Rutherford excels.  His work is instantly recognizable, and his distinctive style has made him one of the most sought-after photographers for commercial photography.

His documentary photography has been met with great acclaim and he has successfully captured photographs in areas where it was dangerous to do so.  Rutherford is a devout Christian and has traveled to Russia, China, and other parts of the world photographing and spreading the gospel.  The images of these people and places are reflected in many of his works.

Michael studied painting in college, but his desire for adventure and the ability to earn a paycheck led him to photography.  His first love has always been painting and after 40-plus years as a world-class photographer, he is combining his love of painting with his photography to create mixed-media artwork.  These paintings are personal to him and they include various symbols and messages intertwined into the art.

Throughout his years as a photographer, Mike has won some of the industry’s most prestigious awards.  He was honored to be commissioned by the National Office of the Boy Scouts of America to photograph the first commissioned Boy Scout posters since Norman Rockwell. 

Boy Scout in front of American Flag

His photographs of working cowboys resulted in his first book, The American Cowboy: A Tribute to a Vanishing Breed, which also resides in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, OK.  His other books have received special acclaim for their religious messages, and his book, Timeless Ireland: Faces and Places of the Emerald Isle has been a best-seller.

Michael and his wife, Deborah, reside just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.  He was raised in the Midwest, attended Southern Illinois University, and later moved to Nashville, TN in 1983. 

Michael continues to work on special assignments for clients, he is in demand for speaking engagements and is developing classes to share with avid photographers from around the world.  

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