Some photographers chase trends. Others, like Glenn Toothman, chase truth. His lens finds beauty in silence, in shadows, and in the stories left unsaid. At 78 years old, Glenn’s photography journey isn’t just long, it’s layered, emotional, and deeply human.
In this month’s spotlight, we’re honored to share Glenn’s journey, insights, and the heartfelt reason behind every frame he captures.
Meet Glenn: A Photographer With A Vision
Glenn’s love for photography began at a young age. Not in a studio, but in a darkroom, where he assisted his father in developing prints. What began as “cheap labor,” as he playfully puts it, quickly turned into a lifelong calling.
After his father passed away, Glenn Toothman picked up the camera to finish his high school’s yearbook photography. That was his first real assignment, and he never stopped shooting after that.
Glenn Toothman has always been drawn to real, raw beauty. He describes his process simply: if something moves him, he stops and captures it.
We asked Glenn a few questions about his photography journey, creative process, and experience with PhotoWhoa. Here’s what he had to say:
Q.1 Can you tell us how your photography journey began?
Ans. This is not an easy one to answer; however, my Dad was an avid photographer as long as I can remember. As I started growing up, I became cheap labor in the Darkroom. I’m now 78. At that time, I never realized what I had learned from him through observation.
My first real task in photography was after my Dad passed during my Senior Year in High School. He had been taking pictures for the Class Annual. To keep things going, I grabbed his camera and started finishing the photography, using what I had learned from him and applying it (sometimes through trial and error), and completed the Annual.
As time progressed, I joined the Army, traveling extensively through Europe, Western Asia, and across North and South America. I have modified some of the pictures I have using various editing software.
Q.2 What type of photography excites you the most: portraits, conceptual, or commercial?
Ans. I usually carry a camera with me in my pickup (at one time, I was also a rancher), and when something catches my eye, I stop and take a picture of it.
Now with my ‘art’, I work on my pictures and after completing them the way I want, at a given point, I finish them, make a copy or print a copy(s), and give them away. In my opinion, art is to be shared.
Q.3 How did you first come across PhotoWhoa?
Ans. My son introduced it to me to make life easier. I used to use a text editor to create webpages. Yes, I can still read them as text, grin. Next, my daughter-in-law introduced me to the PhotoWhoa line of products.
Also check out: Portrait Photography Tools Every Photographer Should Own
Q.4 What’s your favorite way to add mood or character to a photo?
Ans. Once I ‘feel’ the photo, I subject it to various or one addition, i.e., I like to change the background. If it is an outside picture, I have an extensive library of photos of skylines, clouds, animals, etc.
Now, if it is an inside picture, I normally use color adaptations, sharpening, or fading areas. I have been known to put an individual or object into a picture to create a different mood.
Q.5 Have you created any memorable images using PhotoWhoa’s addon bundles?
Ans. Yes, but all of my usages of add-on bundles are applicable to my personal mood at the time. I have been known to return several times to a picture and adjust it until I’m satisfied.
Q.6 How important is design and presentation in your client work or portfolio?
Ans. It is the heart of the presentation.
Q.7 What does your typical editing workflow look like?
Ans. Adding a caveat here, I must be totally honest: I use PhotoWhoa products in many different ways. However, I also use other vendor products to create my ‘style’ of product. Some easy, some difficult, but all together create my final product.
I select my photograph based on concept and detail. Usually, I start by ‘sharpening’ up the image to allow me to see all I need in the photo. After sharpening, I then go in and adjust the darkness or lightness, crop, and insert any necessary elements to make it work.
Now comes something that I’ve found many people miss. When saving the image, I need to know to which medium it will be submitted, including various websites or individuals.
Each one requires me to do the very best I can do, while keeping in mind that if it is going to most sites online, there is a size restriction. Now, if it is going to the person, a much higher size capability, mostly based on the type of paper I’m printing.
Q.8 Any favorite software from PhotoWhoa that you’d recommend to other photographers?
Ans. All of them. However, some of them require you to invest time and attention before making a decision about which product to use. Some of them affect the end product in different ways. Invest time in ALL of your software; it can make the difference between success and failure.
Q.9 Can you tell us about a photo project or shoot that’s close to your heart? What made it special?
Ans. To begin, I must let you look inside me for an instant. However, it is the core of all my work, in one form or another. I’m a 100% totally disabled combat veteran, with chronic PTSD as well as exposure to Agent Orange and its related problems. I was part of an Elite Unit that very few people even know existed.
Any veteran, regardless, adds a part of him/her self into each piece of work. We tend to view life and art from unique perspectives. I do know that there will be one from the ‘Wall’ in DC.
I was there with a reunion of the few of us who are still living from the Nam. Of course, we made a trip to the Wall, and I snapped a bunch of pictures. Some of them turned out quite beautiful. However, the one that truly stands out to me is a photo I took of a corner where the names of the first men killed in Nam are engraved. One of those names belongs to a soldier from our unit: the very first combat casualty after the war was declared.
To me, it was just a snapshot. When I finally got home and started looking at the picture, it didn’t really resonate with me. Then, I brought it up in your product, and things started changing.
I had no idea I had captured the reflection of the visitors to the Wall that day, what got me was the way it came out, now each name on the Wall has a soul, what I saw after editing the picture is what I felt were the souls looking back through the wall seeing all the people there to honor them.
Every time I print it up or email it out, I get a bit misty-eyed.
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Q.10 Is there a new style or technique you’re looking to explore next?
Ans. I am ALWAYS open to new ideas/concepts/software.
Q.11 Any creative goals you’re currently working on?
Ans. Not specifically, like the masters of old, you work from the heart and feeling.
Q.12 Would you recommend PhotoWhoa to your friends and family?
Ans. Emphatically.
Glenn’s Most Favorite Editing Tools
- MovieMator Video Editor for Mac & Windows
- Old Photo Restoration Software By SoftOrbits
- Sharpen Projects 4: Best Image Sharpening Software
Check out more of Glenn’s work on his official website.
Final Words On The Journey Of Glenn Toothman
The journey of Glenn Toothman reminds us that photography isn’t just about capturing images; it’s about capturing meaning. From the darkroom days of his youth to the quiet moments behind his lens today, Glenn continues to prove that experience, emotion, and authenticity are the real tools of a great photographer.
His story is one of resilience, creativity, and generosity, and we’re honored to share it. Here’s to the artists who shoot from the heart and inspire us all to see the world in a little different light.
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