Born in Atlanta, Georgia as the middle son of two teachers, Don Pitcher grew up all over the East Coast, from Florida to Maine. He moved west for college, receiving a masters degree in fire ecology from the University of California Berkeley. A love of nature pulled him north to Alaska, and an aversion to office work kept him outside for the next 15 years, conducting ecological research, building backcountry trails, working as a wilderness ranger, mapping grizzly habitat, and operating salmon weirs. He went on to write or photograph a dozen guidebooks for Avalon Travel, DK Publishing, Sasquatch Books, Heyday Books, and Fodor's. He also contributes to Triporati and other websites, and is a professional wedding photographer. Don Pitcher's photos have appeared in a multitude of publications and advertisements, and his prints are sold in many Alaska and Washington galleries. He lives in Homer, Alaska with his wife, Karen Shemet, and their children, Aziza and Rio. Find out more on his websites: www.donpitcher.com and www.weddingsinhomer.com, or visit his Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/donpitcherphotography and www.facebook.com/pages/Don-Pitchers-Travel-Guidebooks/314113916371.