Acclaimed Photographer Seeks Help Recovering Lost Items

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PHOTOGRAPHER SEEKS ASSISTANCE FROM PUBLIC IN LOCATING LOST CAMERA MEMORY CARD CASE AT LA SAL MOUNTAIN VIEWPOINT PARKING AREA

Portion of proceeds from photos are donated to the National Park Trust

Critically acclaimed photographer Frank Lee Ruggles, is seeking assistance from the public in locating a Nikon Camera Memory Card Case he lost on October 28 at the La Sal Mountain Viewpoint parking area off of Highway 191 near Arches National Park in Moab Utah. The memory card case contains 10 SanDisk gold cards filled with Frank’s photos taken over a 10 day period across 12 national parks. Frank’s work is licensed to book publishers, magazines and other sources, and a portion of the proceeds from that revenue is donated by Frank and match by vendors, then given to the Kids to Parks Program run by National Park Trust (NPT), a land trust and environmental education nonprofit, dedicated to preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow.

“I’m very disappointed to have lost 10 days of photos shot across 12 national parks,” said Frank Lee Ruggles. “Although I can go back and try to re-shoot these photos, the process will be difficult as I recently had surgery on my Achilles tendon and I’m wearing a walking boot. I hope someone will find the case and return it Arches National Park Rangers or contact me directly. I am also offering a reward for the return of the case.”

Frank Lee Ruggles is a former military-man-turned-critically-acclaimed photographer who held the esteemed position as an Official Photographer for the United States National Park Service (NPS) from 2007 through 2011, a position only held by a handful of people in the 100 year history of the NPS. Prior to his work with the national park service, Ruggles provided services for the U.S. State Department, where he was the exclusive photographic printer for the Secretary of State Colin Powell. He is currently serving as the first ever artist ambassador to the National Park Trust and is also the current official photographer for the U.S. Army Historical Foundation. He is also working on pre-production for a new television series he will be hosting featuring his photo-adventures in the national parks.

About Frank Lee Ruggles

Frank Lee Ruggles has about as mysterious and impressive a resumé as one can imagine. He carried a machine gun for four years as a U.S. Army Paratrooper, was a First Sergeant in the Virginia State Guard as a Military Police Officer, and even parachuted with the 82nd Airborne division into Panama.

He then was inspired to go in a completely different direction by following in the footsteps of his photographic hero the late, great Ansel Adams. This former military-man-turned-critically-acclaimed photographer held the esteemed position as an Official Photographer for the United States National Park Service from 2007 through 2011, a position only held by a handful of people in the 100 year history of the NPS. In combining two such different lives, Ruggles has found himself in the role of Warrior-Artist, and he is using his unique skills to advocate for the conservation and preservation of our national parks and other natural places.

Frank feels the best ways to share the magic of our parks is by capturing stunning photographs of America’s natural wonders in some of the rarely seen and hard-to-reach places. His ultimate goal is to create such a body of work that people who see it will want to join him in protecting our natural places. Drawing upon his physical strength and endurance capabilities acquired during his paratrooper training, Ruggles completed a 1000-day, 25,000-mile journey that spanned more than 250 national parks and forests through all 50 U.S. states.

Prior to his work with the national park service, Ruggles provided services for the U.S. State Department, where he was the exclusive photographic printer for the Secretary of State Colin Powell.

He contracted for the U.S. Treasury, the FBI, Department of Energy, and even performed custom hand photographic printing the Smithsonian. Professionally, Frank has had the honor of severing the last five presidential administrations as a soldier, contractor or federal employee. He is currently serving as the first ever artist ambassador to the national park trust and is also the current official photographer for the U.S. Army Historical Foundation. He is also working on pre-production for a new television series he will be hosting featuring his photo-adventures in the national parks.

Frank’s photographic works can be seen in galleries and public buildings across the country. His photographs hang in private collections next to the works of Ansel Adams and have been featured in countless magazines. In 2017 he finished his newest book, “Chasing Light, An Exploration of the American Landscape,” which is available on the following website: https://www.frankruggleschasinglight.com/.

In his limited spare time, he teaches hike and shoot photography workshops to up-and-coming photographers and enjoys hiking adventures with his wife, Lisa Crow Ruggles and his Great Dane, Wilson, at their home in Great Falls, Virginia.

More information on Frank Lee Ruggles can be found at https://frankleeruggles.photoshelter.com/index. You can also follow Frank on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrankLeeRugglesPhotographer/; Twitter: https://twitter.com/frankleeruggles and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Frankleeruggles/.