In Memory of Gary Parker — Photographer, Mentor, Friend

In Memoriam

Gary Parker (1950 - 2026)

A master of light and color — fast, funny, and unforgettable.

Gary & Kimberley Parker with their dog Prudence near their home in Oregon. (Photo: Ron Martinsen)

I’m writing this with a heavy heart. My friend and mentor, Gary Parker, passed away on Monday, January 5, 2026.

Gary wasn’t the kind of photographer who took forever to “get the shot.” He was the opposite: fast, impulsive in the best way, and incredibly effective. He had an instinct for finding a great frame right now — amazing color, interesting backgrounds, and that moment that makes people stop and look. Executives loved working with him because he could walk in, connect, create energy, and deliver.

Great photographers don’t just chase perfect lighting — they know how to create it, shape it, and capture it quickly. Gary did that with humor, efficiency, and outrageous control of light and color.

— The Gary Parker method

And when the subject was difficult? That’s where Gary was at his best. He had a real flare for pulling emotion out of people — even the ones who didn’t want to give you anything. He could get someone from guarded to genuine in minutes.

A couple moments that changed photography for me forever

I’ll never forget when we did a workshop together in Seattle — I wrote about it here: Postmortem: Gary Parker & Ron Martinsen .

What struck me most was Gary’s insane awareness of background, light, and surroundings. His ability to get a unique shot often involved him shooting from angles where it was impossible to even look through the viewfinder. He trashed every idea I had about the technical side of photography — and somehow still got the crisp, perfect shot.

Ron Martinsen and Gary Parker during our workshop. Photo by workshop student Mike Wiebe.

Gary smiling while teaching me one of his lighting tricks. (Photo: Ron Martinsen)

I’ll also never forget the time Gary flew up from California to visit me at my house. When the door rang, my wife, son, and I ran to open it — and I didn’t even see Gary right away because he was already down low, camera up, catching the coolest photo of us answering the door.

Ron, Moon, and Kai at my house during Gary’s visit. (Photo: Gary Parker, edited by Ron Martinsen)

The next ten minutes were the same kind of magic: Gary catching fun photos at angles I never would have imagined. I was watching a photography master do his craft with joy and creativity — and it changed how I photographed forever.

Gary with Kai during an impromptu lighting lesson he gave me at my house. (Photo: Ron Martinsen)

“The Professor” — a portfolio shot from that same lesson. (Photo: Ron Martinsen)

A photo I produced and had my wife take in the spirit of Gary’s style — Gary liked it so much he ended up editing it.

Taylor in Oregon — a random snap where he squatted on the trail so I could build a more interesting background (thanks to Gary’s advice). This was the shot that reinforced: look harder at the background than the subject. (Photo: Ron Martinsen)

During our workshop, Gary taught me you can get a stable long exposure with a mini tripod braced against your chest. I discuss the technique here: Drastically Improve Your Handheld Shots . It changed my photography forever. (Photo: Ron Martinsen)

Gary’s guest posts on my blog

Gary didn’t just influence my photography — he contributed directly to this blog:

• Getting The Shot: Steve Jobs and Laurene Powell Jobs In Love by Gary Parker
• Getting The Shot– 73 Seconds to Photograph Bill Gates by Gary Parker
• Getting The Shot: Blue Bulldog by Gary Parker
• LEARNING FROM THE PRO’S: Gary Parker on Having Fun on a Commercial Dog Shoot

What Gary accomplished

• 1990 Pulitzer Prize Co-Winner (General News Reporting) — for his role on the staff of the San Jose (CA) Mercury News covering the October 17, 1989 Bay Area earthquake and its aftermath.
• National Newspaper Photographer of the Year (twice), Southern Photographer of the Year, and a national lecturer on lighting, creativity and other topics.
• Photographed innovators and leaders including Steve Jobs, Jensen Huang, Larry Ellison, Bill Gates, Tim Cook, and many more.
• Original Creator / Associate Producer of the “Big Tiny” TV series featuring Bridgette & Brad Jordan, the World’s Smallest Lady and World’s Smallest Siblings.
• If you own a pet, some of Gary’s work has likely come into your home on pet food packages. You might have even purchased Hallmark greeting cards with his photos on them.
• Named an Honorary Lifetime Member of Little People of America; he once had the largest collection of photos of his friends with dwarfism, including some of the world’s smallest people.

Where to find more of Gary’s work

• garyparker.com
• Geniuses & Gurus gallery
• Instagram: @garyparkerphotography
• Facebook: Gary Parker Productions
• CatDogPhotography.com

What he taught me beyond photography

Gary taught me a lot about photography — but some of the most valuable lessons were on the business and marketing side: how to position your work, how to talk about it, how to price it, and how to build credibility without acting needy. I’ll always appreciate all the time he spent teaching me and the laughter we enjoyed during our endless conversations and emails.

For friends and family

Friends and family can reach out to Kimberly at kimberlyphotorep@gmail.com, or contact me via LinkedIn.

Rest easy, Gary. Thank you for the lessons, the laughs, and the light.

— Ron Martinsen