About Branaman Photography

James Branaman - After receiving a degree in art with advanced studies in photography James returned to school at Western Kentucky University to study photojournalism. During school he interned at the Beacon News in Aurora, Ill., followed by The Chicago Tribune. After graduation and a 6-month photo internship at the Seattle Times he worked as a multimedia journalist for the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton, Washington.
In 2006 he followed a pretty girl (now his wife and the other half of Branaman Photography) to the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Along with working as a freelance photojournalist James also teaches photography classes and workshops through public schools, rec centers and the Morean Arts Center.
His work has been published in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, Seattle Times and many other national publications. He is a regular contributor to The St. Petersburg Times and their upscale publication BAY Magazine.
His work has been recognized by such groups as the National Press Photographers Association, Associated Press, and the Society of Professional Journalists. James was one of six photographers to participate in the William Randolph Hearst National Photojournalism Championships in 2004. In 2007 he was selected as one of 12 photojournalists to participate in The American Diversity Project documenting life in the Mississippi Delta. Images from his long-term project on sea turtles were recently selected by the International League of Conservation Photographers to be presented as part of their "12 shots" series at the 2010 Telluride Mountain film festival and "Blue, A Global Oceans Film & Conservation Summit" in Monterey, CA. In 2011 part of this project and more of his conservation images were part of a solo exhibit at the Morean Arts Center in St. Petersburg, Fla.
James is available for assignments and instruction in the Tampa Bay area and beyond. Feel free to contact him with any questions or comments. james@branamanphotography.com or 813.451.1773

Julie Busch-Branaman - After graduating from the photojournalism program at Western Kentucky University Julie was a freelance photojournalist in the Pacific Northwest. In 2006 she accepted a staff position working as a multimedia journalist for The Tampa Tribune/TBO.com and WFLA News Channel 8 and moved to the land of shuffleboard, St. Petersburg, Fla., a.k.a. Heaven's waiting room. Shortly after moving to Fla. Julie took to the rink living out her childhood dream becoming a roller derby queen with the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins, but found the spotlight too bright, as it was keeping her away from her duties as a doggy mom. When she is not behind the viewfinder she spends her days soaking up too much sun (SPF 70+) and looking for alligators, from a safe distance of course.