Profile
He never dreamed of being a photographer. Maybe a doctor, lawyer or Indian Chief. He always wanted to be a cowboy. Now his photographs are seen by between 5 and 10 million people a month, every month, every year for at least the last ten years.

Stephen Wayda was born in Los Angeles, growing up in the mountains and at the beaches of Southern California. He moved to Utah to go to college, wanting to fly jets, hoping to join the Navy ROTC. After college he was a newspaper reporter for the Salt Lake Tribune, covering murders, mayhem, local and state government, and the lives of everyday people who became news through triumph, failure or tragedy. His interviews ranged from the everyday man to a President to death row inmates. He investigated and wrote about it. One night he saved the life of a policeman and he was called a hero. He won lots of writing awards.

But when his grandfather died and left him his cameras, he found that taking pictures--pictures of interesting people and beautiful women--was more fun, and easier for him, than writing. So he taught himself photography and became a photographer.

For over 20 years he commuted from his home in the mountains of Utah. Back and forth to Los Angeles, across the country and around the world taking pictures. He’s been to five continents. He had a million miles on Delta Airlines going back and forth between SLC and LAX.

He learned it was all about the light. And attitude. Light. Attitude. He can direct a set on a sound stage with an 8x10 camera and enough strobes to make the electricity in the walls hum as easily as he can use a Polaroid SX70 in a marsh of wild horse in Camargue, France. He’s been to the high peaks of Nepal and the low deserts of Africa. His subjects are people.

He has been published in more general interest, fashion, life style and men’s magazines in the world than he can count. James Woods and Tom Selleck both said his pictures were their best. Demi Moore loved her shooting, but Arnold wasn’t so happy when he and the editor disagreed. Pamela Anderson calls him The Bomb. Gene Autry told him: “Keep shootin’ those shots. I’d sure like to be in your boots, son!”

Now California is home, where he lives with his wife Karen and daughter Madison, along with all the dogs, cats, birds, fish and assorted rodents that can fit in the yard and house. And the horses…11 at last count.