George Dondero Photography

Like many photographers, George was given a Brownie Instamatic camera on his eighth birthday.

A few cameras later he had a home darkroom. After college he established a custom woodworking

business in Calaveras County which he ran for fifteen years. Changing careers, he entered

UC Berkeley to earn graduate degrees in Regional Planning and Transportation Engineering.

He worked as the Director of two regional transportation agencies in Northern California until

retirement in 2018. During those last two decades his interest grew deeper as the new digital

technology offered more possibilities.

On a trip to Inner Mongolia in 2004 with his first digital camera, he captured images of the last

mainline railroad in the world operating on steam power. A few years later he was greeted by a

pair of Bluebirds raising a family in his back yard. Being careful not to disturb them, they allowed

pictures to be taken, and a new passion was born. In 2017 a visit to the island of Hawaii introduced

him to the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge to photograph endangered indigenous Hawaiian birds.

Thirteen years of employment in Santa Cruz County offered many hours getting to know the shore

and water birds of the Monterey Bay. The last four years in the area were spent in a rented house

overlooking Soquel Creek in Capitola. By good fortune he was able to shoot from the deck when various

herons, egrets and ducks would swim by or take up a pose to catch fish. It was like having a private

bird blind in a wildlife refuge!

The last few years he has pursued printing as an important part of sharing the work with others.

Like a growing number of photographers, he believes that you don’t have a full experience until you can

hold and view the printed image. Ink-jet technology has advanced to enable many photographers to

learn and master the process. He now prints most of his work at home, with the exception of prints on metal.

George is pleased to become a member artist at Art on Main and hopes you will enjoy your time here.

If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, be sure to contact him to discuss your needs.

George and his wife Nancy live in Murphys and enjoy raising vegetables and keeping the bird feeders full

Phone: 831-332-5441