Muller, Thomas L.

Tom credits his dad for his love of all things outdoors. His dad took him camping at a very early age and he fell in love with the mountains, streams and woodlands of his native Virginia, especially the Blue Ridge Mountains of Shenandoah National Park. Tom's dad was also an avid photographer, who loved photographing nature's beauty wherever he found it. His dad helped Tom develop an eye for that special picture.

Tom's first real camera was a bulky 35 mm SLR. That camera lasted several decades and shot many thousands of pictures. At that time, Tom thought of himself simply as a hiker or explorer who also liked to take pictures. He rarely set out with a particular photographic objective in mind. It was while using that bulky 35 mm on his expeditions that Tom developed his first rule for his style of outdoor photography: "A camera must be small enough to keep handy at all times." More often than not, a camera tucked inside a pack will stay there and you'll never take that special shot. Tom's first digital camera was a Casio Exilim Z750, not a professional's camera, but it met Tom's first rule. Small enough to fit in a pocket or strapped to a pack strap, it went with him nearly everywhere.

Tom's special interest in wildflowers began in 2006 when his job took him to El Paso, TX. The west Texas landscape was vastly different from the eastern forests. So for over a year Tom spent nearly every weekend hiking, backpacking and exploring, his camera always close by. He had heard folks lament that the desert was dead and uninteresting. Tom found just the opposite, especially the incredible variety of wildflowers. Even in the desert, God creates tremendous beauty, if you are willing to look for it... and sometimes get down on all fours to get a better view. It was in trying to identify the western wildflowers he had photographed, which eventually numbered over 80 species, that he became acquainted with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Tom, a chemical engineer by training, is now back home in Delaware, shooting a Canon G9. He still hikes, backpacks, hunts and camps whenever possible. And you can bet his camera is never out of reach.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to developing the premier resource for native plant images in North America through continued growth of the Plant Image Gallery. You can help us achieve our mission ...to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes... by becoming a contributor.