Fishing is one of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about the Florida Keys. It’s the backbone to what drives the Keys economy, as guests near and far come to places like Islamorada — or the sportfishing capital of the world.
For Tim Rahn, fishing called him to the island chain, and he has lived in Lower Matecumbe for over 25 years. While fishing was in his blood, the photography part came a little bit later — and by accident. As a lifelong fisherman, Rahn always had his camera ready to capture the fish he reeled in.
At the beginning, Rahn was a boat salesman. One day he walked into a bank and was presented with a calendar filled with images of dead fish. He showed the calendar to his boss. His boss knew Rahn always carried a camera when fishing and suggested that they make their own calendar. This started the Caribee calendar, which ran for 17 years. The calendar awakened something and gave him a quest to capture the sharp details in nature. These curious circumstances led him to a discovery that he was truly a photographer.
“Visitors to the Florida Keys always find themselves in awe of the stunning beauty of this incredible place — the quiet waters, the vibrant colors and the unique ecosystem make this part of the world unlike any other,” he said. “Many, like me, fell in love with the magic of these islands and never left.”
Rahn is the embodiment of the Florida Keys lifestyle; he loves to fish and he loves the Keys. His laid-back attitude feels like the old Keys and it is refreshing. When you ask Rahn about living in the Keys, his eyes light up.
“I have been fortunate to witness and capture some of its essence and beauty. There are countless natural wonders above and below the water in this island chain from Key Largo to Dry Tortugas, as well as the Bahamas and Caribbean islands.”
Rahn, by his own admission, is an old-school kind of guy and not fond of technology. This is a boon for the collector because his photography uses an old-school technique called silver halide. The process of using silver halide started over 150 years ago and is the best way to capture high-quality photographic detail. Silver halide prints are exposed using light instead of ink, digital files instead of film negatives, and a printer instead of a darkroom. His limited edition finished silver halide artwork is then mounted to acrylic with a French cleat.
“I print most of my fine art images on old-school silver halide Kodak paper with silver in it and silver in the ink,” Rahn said, “as it is the best way to print detail and brightness of colors and give the viewer depth that is unrivaled in most mediums.”
Rahn loves capturing critical details of the natural world. He spends hours chasing baits and the fish that pursue them. The boat is moving, the fish are moving and the light is constantly changing; all of these things make a critically correct image close to impossible to achieve and keep him striving for perfection. These types of images are the ultimate challenge for him.
“When I go out to shoot nature, it is not something you can just plan to go get something specific,” he said. “It requires being lucky in the right place at the right time with the right camera and lens in your hand and all the right settings in the camera, and when it all comes together it is magical to me.”
He doesn’t have a favorite photo in his portfolio. “I can’t say I have one favorite image as there are so many images in my portfolio. I have a few amazing sailfish images that I captured while driving the boat catching the fish and taking the photos. When people ask me what’s my favorite I say either the last one I sold or the one I haven’t taken yet.”Rahn’s photography is stunning. He captures the vivid details of nature with every shot. His photography has been on television shows such as “Bloodline,” on cruise ships, resorts, businesses and fine homes. His work is also featured in countless fishing magazines and books. He wrote the book, “The Amazing Nature of the Florida Keys.” Rahn’s gallery is at Robbie’s in Islamorada, MM 77.5, and you can view his works on his website, timrahnphotography.com. His work is also featured at MarineMax in Ocean Reef.
