Robel is a self-taught photographer, and has been practicing for nearly 20 years. He was born in Virginia to Ethiopian immigrants, and moved with his family to Chico, California, as a child. Growing up in Chico exposed him to the foothills of the northern Sierras, which fostered his deep appreciation of nature. 

 

His passion for photography started with a desire to document his adventures in Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada, and is inspired by the works of Ansel Adams and Galen Rowell. His photographic style finds the harmony in the existing elements and takes advantage of the natural light to transform the landscape. His goal is to create images that evoke an emotional response in the viewer that is comparable to his own experience, and inspire others to explore their surroundings. 

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