A native of Clintwood, Virginia, Ray possesses a love for the great outdoors and all things nature.  His father being an avid hunter and fisherman, a great deal of Ray's youth was spent enjoying the beauty of the mountains that surrounds this region.  While still loving to hunt and fish, his weapon of choice has evolved from gun to camera. You won't find him in a treestand without it. His interest in photography began when he joined the yearbook staff during his junior year of high school.  As the photographer, he shot hundreds of film rolls through a Canon AE-1.  Moving to editor the following year, he continued his photography as well as being introduced to the world of digital layout, using Adobe Illustrator and a Mac.  Always the computer junky, Ray has more than 15 years of experience with Adobe Photoshop, with projects ranging from graphic design to photo restoration and enhancement. With his photographic skills combined with extensive digital enhancement knowledge, his expertise of and love for photography blossomed with the technology. The opportunity to create a business out of his hobby was presented with longtime friend, Tim Powers, and today he shoots with a Canon 1DMarkIIn and a variety of equipment.  Beginning with a few happy clients, business quickly picked up, allowing the two friends to create Highlands Photography and combine their unique talents into a profitable, but most importantly, enjoyable company. Ray resides in Kingsport, Tennessee with his wife, Nicole.  He can be contacted at ray@highlandsphoto.com.

---

Tim Powers, Photographer

Also a native of Clintwood, Virginia, Tim has always been surrounded by the scenic beauty of Dickenson County and the Appalachian mountains that encompass the area, and is an avid waterfall 'hunter'. A few years ago, Tim found the challenge of trying to capture this beauty with a camera.  He began with a digital consumer grade camera and became more and more fascinated by the possibilities of photography, seeing an increased need for better equipment. Upgrading to a Nikon D70 in 2004, then to his current D200 in 2007, Tim began focusing more on the technical aspects that professional photographers must master.  As his photography has grown, so too has his collection of photographic equipment. When the idea of partnering with longtime friend Ray Austin came about, Tim used his skills as both a photographer and a salesman to begin recruiting clients.  From these first customers and their word of mouth advertising, they soon became very busy shooting a variety of events, from weddings to sports to portraits, reinvesting their profits toward company growth. Tim resides in Clintwood, Virginia, with his wife, Michelle. He can be contacted by email at tim@highlandsphoto.com