Ken Jenkins

“Faith in Jesus Christ is believing in who He is, what He did, and everything that He promised and I need no visible evidence to confirm that truth.”   A nationally known natural history photographer, Ken is also a writer, lecturer, and outdoor adventurer. For more than 30 years his photographs and articles have appeared in publications from National Geographic to Southern Living. Galleries across the country have exhibited his work including the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and the Sarasota Arts Center in Florida.

After many years of teaching workshops and leading adventure travel trips in North and South America, Ken spends a majority of his time photographing for contract accounts and developing publishing projects. He is actively involved in speaking engagements around the country. In 1990 he developed the concept of Wilderness Wildlife Week in his Smoky Mountain homeland. Each year the event draws over 20,000 participants from around the country and many foreign countries to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It has received the Pinnacle Award for the country's best educational event.

I grew up in Newport, Tennessee, a small town at the foothills to the Great Smoky Mountains. I have always been very proud to be from that area. Some of the finest people I have ever met live there. I spent my early years around folks that care about each other, work very hard, and encourage each other . . . people that love their country, trust in God, and want for very little.

I was never without work from the time I was 12 years of age. My outdoor interests were keen as far back as I can remember. My mother and father and brother camped and hiked in the mountains all my young life. We loaded the station wagon every summer and crossed the country on a shoestring budget. I was in Scouts until I was eighteen and received my Eagle Scout rank. As I look back to those years, I can clearly see that my early locations, associations, and vocations all led to this great pursuit of photographing wildlife and everything else that nature presents.

My great passion is in the world of birds. They fascinate me and teach me and I love to watch birds more than anything else I observe. I read extensively and especially the old writers of the 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition to all of the above, I work a lot at the publishing warehouse, the galleries, and the stock photography business. I like to work because everything that I do reminds me of something positive and wonderful in my life. I am the most transparent and approachable person that I can be. I have no reason to be otherwise. All that I have and all that I am is a gift and I sure am thankful for it.

Heavens Eyes

Early in my photographic career, I went up into the mountains one evening during a summer rain shower. My intent was to watch the front as it passed over the Smokies and possibly enjoy a beautiful sunset in the lingering mist and clouds. This was a transitional time in my life…one of those periods when questions outweigh answers. I sought the solace of quiet places.

To me, faith in Jesus Christ is believing in who He is, what He did, and everything that He promised and I need no visible evidence to confirm that truth. God has always done all that He has promised, regardless of the circumstances. However, without prompting and completely unannounced, occasionally God does give a glimpse of confirmation and assurance within the beauty of His creation. Perhaps this evening display was His way of calming my soul and reminding me that no matter how dark the storm or loud the thunder, He is there and He cares about the things that concern me.

The message of Heaven’s Eyes is simply that. It is the name of our recent 4,000 square foot gallery which emphasizes the inspirational theme of all that I believe in. It is the foundation of the speaking that I do around the country. I have over thirty programs on trust, discernment, godliness, and many other scriptural themes. I use my photography as a background to illustrate biblical truths. I have shared these to large and small groups in many denominations and a variety of settings from the sanctuary of First Baptist Atlanta to the Women’s Maximum Security Prison in Nashville. Lastly, Heaven’s Eyes is a series of publications that I have developed to encourage those who want to surround themselves with a combination of what God has made and what He has said. Every cent of the profit from Heaven’s Eyes goes back into the effort to share with as many people in as many places as is possible.

Of all of the things that I am blessed to do, nothing compares with the joy and privilege that I have been given to share my faith. I will go anywhere . . . any time that there is an opportunity.