People. Places. Stories.
I'm Gary Reiss — a travel and documentary photographer based in Spokane, Washington, available for assignments worldwide.
I photograph the character of places and the people who inhabit them — from streets and neighborhoods to remote landscapes, live performances, and the unexpected moments in between.
The way I see it
I believe still photography is time travel.
When you slow down and really look, a single frame can return you to one exact moment — how the air felt, the way someone's eyes held a story, the geometry of a building, the energy of a performance, or the hush before the ocean breaks.
That quiet is what I chase.
My photography is rooted in observation. I like to spend time in a place, walk its streets, meet its people and look beyond the obvious. I'm interested in the relationship between people and the places they inhabit, and in the small moments that give a destination its character.
People
Street portraits, environmental portraiture, documentary moments and the people who give a place its character.
Places
Destinations, architecture, streets, landscapes, wildlife, underwater and the visual details that make a place memorable.
Stories
Photo essays, live performances, events, music and commissioned projects built around real moments and authentic experiences.
Available for assignments
I can go anywhere and tell its story visually.
Travel & Destination
Destination documentation, tourism, hospitality, editorial and cultural projects. I photograph not only the landscape, but the people, architecture, atmosphere and details that make a place distinctive.
People & Portraits
Street portraits, environmental portraiture, editorial portraits and personal branding. My preference is for photographs that feel natural rather than heavily staged.
Music & Live Performance
Band promotional photography, artist portraits, album and promotional imagery, backstage coverage and live performance photography.
Events & Documentary
Festivals, cultural events, performances, community events and other experiences where the goal is to capture what actually happened rather than simply document who was there.
Architecture & Urban Life
Architecture, streetscapes and the relationship between buildings, people and the surrounding environment.
Wildlife & Natural Places
Wildlife, landscapes, underwater environments and the natural spaces that become part of a larger visual story.
More than a photograph
I don't want to simply photograph a destination. I want to understand it.
Whether I'm walking the streets of a new city, meeting someone for a portrait, photographing a band on stage, documenting an event or spending time in a wild place, my goal is the same: to create photographs that carry something of the experience with them.
Selected credits & features
- National Geographic — selected feature
- Regional press in the Pacific Northwest
- Tourism and destination projects
- Small-brand and promotional campaigns
Available for
- Travel assignments
- Editorial & documentary projects
- Destination photography
- Environmental portraiture
- Music & live performance
- Events and commissioned work
Have a place, person, or story to photograph?
Based in Spokane. Available for travel assignments worldwide.
From a local assignment to an extended project halfway around the world, I'm available to travel for the right story.
Let's Talk About Your Project