Bonjour and welcome to Chris Allan’s bio page! I (she/her/hers) was born, adopted and then raised in Canada to the age of 14. After moving to the U.S. in 1980 with my family, I first started taking pictures of family, friends and various adventures with my father’s old Minolta. I completed my education with a B.A. at U.C. Berkeley, went overseas to Africa to teach for a couple of years, traveled a lot, and had many amazing adventures.
When I returned, I became a freelance writer and photographer, I was purely self-taught and didn’t have much extra money for good equipment and processing. However, there was nothing I liked better than exploring the world through my lenses. My articles and images were published in numerous publications, while book and CD covers, non-profit and organizational photography, and stock photography got added into the mix. I also spent many years as a high school teacher and later, family caregiver.
Seeking more formal training, I completed the General and Fine Art Photography programs at Cosumnes River College. I’ve put my learning to use by shooting for Outword Magazine for many years, creating a portfolio of over 2200 stock images available for sale on various sites, and my fine art photos have been exhibited in Chico, Clarksburg, Davis, Elk Grove, Los Angeles, Roseville, Folsom, Sacramento, San Diego and Woodland.
Additionally, I have been honored with a variety of awards in regional juried exhibits, including Elk Grove Artists, Viewpoint Gallery, AARP LGBTQ Art Competition, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, and the California State Fair. Along the way, I’ve delved into the world of photographic printing, and learned the craft of cutting my own mats and doing my own framing.
These days, besides my own work, I am happy to help out newer non-profits and NGOs with compelling storytelling imagery.
Thank you for reading Chris Allan’s Bio page. To learn more about me and my work, please see my About page. 📷