Artist of the Month - Chasing the Light - A Look Through Jim Kalka’s Lens
Jim Kalka still remembers the way the morning dew soaked through his jeans. It was just after 6:00 a.m. at the Grand Canyon, and the sun was rising quickly when his uncle Gene suddenly told him to pull the car over. Gene was already opening the door before the engine stopped. He walked into the wet grass with his camera around his neck and lowered himself to the ground.
“You gotta see this,” Gene whispered.
Jim stepped into the grass beside him and followed his uncle’s gaze. Gene lifted a single dandelion toward the horizon and into the direct path of the rising sun. For a moment, the world seemed to pause. Light poured through the fragile seed head, turning it into a tiny burst of gold against the canyon’s silhouette.
Gene pressed the shutter.
The click was soft, but something about it stayed with Jim. It wasn’t the photograph itself, even though it later appeared on the back cover of a magazine. It was the way Gene saw the moment before it happened. The way he slowed down and noticed what most people would have stepped over without a second thought.
That morning taught Jim something he never forgot:
Look closer.
Wait for the light.
Trust the quiet moments.
Those few minutes in the dew-soaked grass became part of the way he sees the world. They still live in every early morning he chases, every landscape he studies, and every image he creates.
Early Influences
Jim grew up surrounded by creativity. His uncles, Gene and Bob Zehring, were accomplished photographers whose work carried them from the red canyons of Arizona to NASA projects in Florida and historic sites across Europe. Their stories, slides, and travels filled his childhood with glimpses of places most people never see.
Their influence stayed in the background for years, quiet but steady, until the day Jim picked up a camera of his own and realized what had been passed down to him.
Finding His Way
Jim didn’t begin exploring photography seriously until his late twenties. Once he did, everything shifted.
He started traveling to Arizona with his uncle Gene several times a year. Those trips gave him time to study the way light moves across the desert. Mornings in the Southwest taught him how shadows fall through the canyons, how reflections change in Oak Creek Canyon, and how a sunrise only lasts a few quiet minutes before the day takes over.
Those experiences shaped the photographer he is today.
Jim wakes at three in the morning, long before most people begin their day. The world feels different at that hour. Still. Uninterrupted. Full of potential.
Over time, those early mornings became a place where he could slow down, notice the details, and let his creativity settle into focus. It is the time of day when he feels most connected to his work and most aware of the beauty that’s easy to miss once the world wakes up.
Wild Encounters
Jim has collected more than a few stories along the way, each one showing the lengths he will go to capture a moment worth remembering. Some of those stories feel a bit unbelievable, others a little dangerous, and all of them reveal the curiosity that keeps him exploring.
He once spent hours walking through 117-degree heat in Apache Junction, searching for wild horses. The desert felt endless that day, and a rattlesnake encounter on the walk back reminded him how sharply the wilderness can turn.
He crossed paths with a bear in Tennessee and found himself stranded on a cliff in Brown County with no cell signal. Each moment carried its own lesson about awareness and respect for the places he explores.
These experiences stay with him and shape the way he approaches nature.
Close to Home
Jim’s wild encounters may stand out, but he’s just as drawn to the moments that unfold close to home in the quiet of early morning.
Some mornings take him to Lake Michigan’s frozen piers, where ice formations shift and crack in the wind. He loves walking the snowy paths of Notre Dame at two in the morning, photographing fog curling around the Dome before a single footprint touches the ground. These are scenes best witnessed in the stillness between night and day.
He also pays attention to the slower rhythms of northern Indiana. In Nappanee, he studies the quiet patterns of Amish country and the way the landscape changes with the seasons. One morning, he waited for the sun to rise just as Amish families crossed the tracks in their buggies, hoping to capture that rare moment when the light met the movement.
At home, he follows the delicate movements of butterflies and hummingbirds, learning their patterns as they return year after year and waiting for the brief moments when they finally sit still long enough to photograph.
This region may not offer the drama of mountains or deserts, but its beauty reveals itself to anyone patient enough to look closely.
A Hidden Gallery
Jim spends so much time quietly observing the world that it feels natural for him to create spaces where others can slow down and experience that same sense of appreciation. That idea eventually led him, along with artist Vincent Erroll Daniels, to transform an unused office space into a speakeasy-style art gallery tucked behind a disguised bookcase.
What began as a simple idea between two artists grew into a warm, intimate gathering place they jokingly call the Art Mafia. Once a month, the bookcase opens for a small group of invited guests. The room fills with a mix of friends, artists, musicians, and local professionals who enjoy being in a creative space. People set aside titles, talk freely, and take in the artwork and live music without rush or expectation. The gallery invites curiosity, connection, and the chance to share something meaningful.
Jim’s love for community reaches far beyond the gallery. Over the years, he has donated several pieces to the Ronald McDonald House for their fundraising auctions. What began as a single donation became a growing friendship with the people who serve families there. They visit the gallery often, and Jim never hesitates to support them because he believes in using his art to help families who are walking through challenging times.
He also participates in the annual “For The Love of Art Fair,” created by Shireen Cline. The event gives him another chance to meet people face to face, talk about the stories behind his images, and connect with others who share a deep appreciation for creativity. Jim values these moments because they remind him that art can open conversations, spark connections, and bring people together in ways that feel both simple and meaningful.
The Next Chapter
Even after decades of photographing the world around him, Jim feels like he is just getting started. At nearly sixty-five, he talks about the next chapter with the same curiosity that first pulled him into the desert with his uncle.
His business provides the freedom to travel and explore, and he continues to build a portfolio that stretches from quiet Indiana mornings to sweeping landscapes across the country. He is developing an online store for his prints and hopes to open his hidden gallery to the public at least once a week in the near future. The idea of sharing his work in new ways excites him.
Along the way, Jim has met artists, travelers, musicians, and strangers who later became friends, all because he wears his camera wherever he goes. A single curious glance is often enough to start a conversation, and many of those conversations have led to stories he never expected to hear and lasting connections. Each encounter stays with him and shapes the way he sees the world.
Reflections
Jim’s work today spans landscapes, wildlife, architecture, and custom projects, but what unites them is the way he approaches each scene with patient curiosity and an eye for the details most people overlook. His website, www.jimkalka.com, continues to grow as he adds images that reflect how he experiences the world through the lens.
Jim often reflects on the lessons that continue to guide his work. Find someone who inspires you. Be patient with the process. Notice the light. Wake up early. And remember that the most extraordinary moments rarely announce themselves; they appear quietly, in the in-between spaces where the world feels still.
Jim continues to look for those moments. Every sunrise, every snowfall, every peaceful stretch of morning offers a new chance to witness something remarkable. Photography shapes the way he moves through the world, inviting him to slow down, pay attention, and capture life one frame at a time.
Written by Eleni Owens.
Photos by Jim Kalka Jr. Photography
& Gary Riggs Photography
