About the Photographer:

Bob Cooley was born in San Antonio, Texas. During his childhood his family moved to southwestern Michigan (New Buffalo), Where he spent his childhood, and discovered his love for photography in his late teens.

Cooley's career started in 1986 as a photojournalist - working initially for his hometown newspaper, and within a few short years branching out to work on contract with a number of local and regional publications. He began promoting himself nationally at the age of 18, and within a year had established himself as the primary contract source for assignments in his region with clients including The Toronto Star, The New York Times, American Media, Corbis and the Associated Press.

Working his way through college (oddly enough, as a music composition major), he continued his work for regional and national magazines, papers and the AP, and added to his list of credits publications such as Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest, The Washington Post, Policy Review, The Economist, The Detroit Free Press, Weekly Reader, and others.

During this time he gained additional recognition in sports and editorial coverage in the form of awards from The Michigan State Press Association, The Hoosier State Press Association, The National Press Photographers Association, and the Associated Press.

After leaving college, Cooley continued moving around the Midwest: Chicago; Grand Rapids, MI; and several locations in Indiana including South Bend, Bloomington, and French Lick. He started larger bodies of work including an in-depth expose on the the Ku Klux Klan, every day life in the Ghettos of South Bend, Indiana, and a study of Coulrophobia. His work began to appear in publications such as LIFE, and internationally in Se & Hor (Denmark) and Das Goldene Blatt (Germany).

In the Mid-90s Cooley went into partnership in a studio in Grand Rapids, MI and his editorial work began to take a back seat to advertising, fashion, and corporate photography.

Working with early hi-end digital cameras in large format, and an early adopter of hybridizing traditional photography with the digital darkroom, his studio and location work produced advertising, catalog and campaigns for Pella Windows, Herman Miller, Haworth, Coca-Cola, Corbett Lighting, Framburg Lighting, as well as photographic illustrations for Simon & Schuster, Pro Organo Recordings, Lyssa Fashions, Lentz Muffler, and a host of other clients.

In the late 90s Cooley moved to Manhattan to take a position as Creative Director for a downtown agency, but after a few years the desire to shoot pulled him back behind the cameras.

Cooley's primary focuses are now Corporate and Advertising imagery, but his love for storytelling drives him to work in the editorial and fashion markets as well.
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