About Mike Matenkosky

Backpacking and Nature Photography

I was born and raised in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It was during my early years playing in the woods in my backyard and as a Boy Scout that I developed an appreciation of the outdoors.

I now live 80 miles from Yosemite, where I spent my free time backpacking, hiking and photographing my journeys.

My Passion

I am awestuck by the beauty of God’s Creation. From the smallest bird to the largest mountain; I love it all, but my passion is landscape photography. I enjoy the challenge to capture the moment and feeling I get when I'm out in the backcountry and convert that image I see with my eyes into that photograph...that experience.

New Challenges Ahead...

A few years ago, I began to experience joint pain in both of my knees. Unfortunately, my doctors were not able to repair my knees, and now, both have been permanently fused straight a procedure called Arthrodesis. Now I walk like a Penguin!

With this new challenge, I still have the same passion as before, but not by backpacking but by car-side or on short hikes. This has prompted me to publish my first 120-page coffee table book called, “Along the Road A Photo-journal by Car, Wheelchair and Other Accessible Locations”.