A little about Natural-Beauty

My name is Ryan Schutte. I was born and raised in Richardson County, Nebraska... more specifically, in the Falls City and Verdon area. I am happy to still call the same area my home.

I have loved photography most of my life. In high school, I could often be seen around school with a camera around my neck or in my hand. I was in yearbook my Senior year and got to develop black & white film in the school dark room.

During my college years, I worked as a photographer and an unofficial assistant studio manager at a JC Penney Portrait Studio in Kansas City, MO. I worked there for about 2 years before coming back to Nebraska.

Back in Nebraska, I was trying to figure out my career path. I worked as an electrician for a few months. I then went to another of my favorite things - cooking. I worked at a restaurant in Falls City for several years. In 1999, at the age of 22, I started a computer sales & service store, KawreS SuperStore - which I still own and operate. A couple years later it was going well enough that I had to leave the restaurant.

I really wanted to get back into photography. In 2004, I came up with the idea of taking candid local sports and event pictures as well as a few weddings. I wasn't sure how well it would go over, but it did very well and I was buying a better camera within a year. I still do the candid local sports & event pictures and have become aquaited with a lot of wonderful people through that.

Several of those wonderful people were wanting me to take portraits, but I just didn't have the studio equipment or knowledge of how to use it properly. In May 2009, I decided it was time to get in to portraiture. I signed up for a course from Rocky Mountain School of Photography on how to use studio lighting and started purchasing studio equipment.

I am continually going to classes and seminars both in person and over the Internet. There's always so much to learn and new ideas to find. Anyone who says they know it all when it comes to photography - doesn't know what they're talking about. That being said... if you have an idea of a picture you'd like me to try, let me know and I'll see what I can do! I love new ideas!