James Gessel

Photographer

Salt Lake City, Utah

By day, I write code and run a software business. By dawn and dusk, I'm chasing light across Utah's mountains and deserts. I've been doing photography and videography professionally for 7 years, though it's never been about the paycheck—it's the part of my life that makes sense of everything else. When I'm not behind the camera or a keyboard, I'm skiing, backpacking, hiking, camping, or running, mostly because standing still feels wrong. I'm equally passionate about software, the environment, and capturing moments when the landscape does something unexpected. I specialize in adventure, landscape, and outdoor photo/video, from alpine terrain to the quiet stretches in between.

Life is an Adventure

Nothing beats exploring the world with my beautiful wife.Chasing waterfalls in Iceland • Backpacking mountain ranges • Finding hidden spots close to home

What Else I Do

Photography

Landscape, adventure, and architecture photography. Specializing in golden hour, astrophotography, and long exposures.

Video

Adventure films and outdoor brand content. Regular collaborator with Lane Peters.

Engineering

Mechanical & energy engineering (U of Utah). Focused on energy efficiency and carbon reduction systems.

Software

Founder @ Ontologent. Building smart building optimization and AI systems for energy tech.

Let's Create Something

I do this because I like it, not because I need it.Truth be told, I don't take on many projects these days. But if you've got something really cool—something that makes me pause and think "yeah, that's worth doing"—then let's talk.

Get in Touch