Bio
Ralph Burns first learned photography from his father, who helped teach him everything from composing the subject to developing in the darkroom. The itch to take photos started when he was 4 years old watching his dad develop photos in the household darkroom.
Born and raised in Colorado, Ralph is as comfortable using the camera in a chest-deep river as well as 1000 feet up a cliff wall. Ralph has technical mountain experience that gets photos from unusual places and perspectives. He has photographed cultures around the world, covering from Cuba to Ethiopia to Iceland to China.
Ralph enjoys exploring nuances behind complex social issues, such as poverty around the world, education in developing countries, and links between politics and the lives of low income people. He places emphasis on approaching the people to understand their story and tell it to the world.
Ralph fights for issues he is passionate about, creating new precedents if they are needed. After the Haitian earthquake, for example, he used his photos from his volunteer trip to Haiti to successfully fundraise to build a new school.
One of Ralph’s goals is to use photo-journalism to make a difference by bringing understanding to and developing compassion between the diverse set of people in the world. His idea of a successful picture is one that brings tears to the eyes of grown men, who are then inspired to change their thoughts and lend their backs to a new cause, and help their fellow man.