ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in 1940, photographer LeRoy Zimmerman's interest in photography began in Oskosh, Wisconsin as a very young boy. His passion for photography began to get serious in 1967 when he discovered a panoramic format could be realized by using 3 frames of 35mm film to make up a single image. Since that summer day, he has done nothing else but panoramic filming.

A visit to Alaska in 1968, followed by two more visits, prompted his permanent residency in 1974. Alaska is a perfect place to be a panoramic photographer due to the magnificent natural world all around, hence he continues to make it his home. In 1984 realizing he had never filmed the auroras in panorama, he developed a special camera set up that enabled him to start down that path, and he became the pioneer in that field. So began not only a love affair with Alaska's natural beauty, but a love affair with the auroras as well.

Now after 23 years of aurora filming, he has been discovered by the Postal Service through his website, PhotoSymphony Productions. The Postal Service is going to release the first ever sheet of stamps featuring the auroras to celebrate the Polar Year. Having had the fortunate opportunity to view the final product, he knows that this image has found its place, and he considers his well placed aurora panorama to be the highlight of that stamp issue.