Meet the Photographer

A man outdoors in a scenic background with mountains and trees, wearing sunglasses, a black hat, a plaid shirt, and holding a Nikon camera.

Ken Kraus here, and this is what I do:

• Events
• Candids
• Wedding Parties
• Photojournalism
• Chefs + Food + Wine
• Environmental Portraits
• Landscapes & Waterscapes

A man wearing a cowboy hat and a black vest standing and holding a microphone during a speaking event. The audience includes people wearing cowboy hats and Western attire, seated in what appears to be a barn or rustic setting with metal walls.
A peaceful lakeside scene with a small boat tied to a wooden dock, calm water reflecting a cloudy sky, green hills in the background, and several sailboats in the distance.
Group of people protesting on stairs holding signs supporting wilderness preservation in Utah, including messages like "Protect WILD UTAH," "UTAH STANDS WITH BEARS EARS," and "Public Lands For The Public"; one person in traditional Native American attire stands in front.

This is what I don’t do:

• Wildlife
• Models posing
• Major & minor league sports

A woman with long blonde hair in a blue dress and wide-brimmed hat standing next to a seated man with a beard, wearing a brown hat, both looking thoughtfully into the distance.

I arrived in Utah as a cub reporter for KSL Radio & TV

Little did I realize my news venture laid the foundation for latter-day immersion in photojournalism – not to mention candids, environmental portraits, water- and landscapes.

Two separate postings at the state tourism bureau followed the broadcast bit…

• Produce travel brochures… you know — sheets of paper with words and pictures printed on them.

• Host travel writers from all over the globe on tours all over Utah.

The State also sent me to the UK, France, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Finland to promote Utah as an alluring international destination.

In between tourism jobs, I produced a dynamic summer events program for Brian Head, the southern Utah town whose economic engine — Brian Head Resort — had suffered through severe financial setbacks in the 80’s.

Two men smiling and standing behind a table with books, and framed pictures at an indoor event.

Back in the day, I flogged a simple Nikon DSLR.

Now I shoot with a mirrorless Nikon Z5.II with lots of glass—14-30, 35-150, 100-400, 50mm macro,
with an iPhone 16 Pro as backup. So no matter what you throw at me, I can “shoot” it.
Except maybe a mama moose.

See comments in the Praise link
Then drop in to my Contact link

The renowned mid-century photographer Ruth Bernhard wrote …

“…My quest, through the magic of light and shadow, is to isolate, to simplify and to give emphasis to form with the greatest clarity.”

Ms. Bernhard’s credo resonated deeply. So deeply, in fact, that I would like to share a personal anecdote about my brief but extraordinary encounter with her.

Click on the Extraordinaire link for the whole story. Maybe have a Kleenex handy.

Brochure for Brian Head, Utah, featuring images of mountain biking, scenic autumn trees, a kite festival, and a map of the area. Text highlights summer and fall attractions and travel information.