Michael W. Rutherford is one of the few photographers who is equally at home on horseback documenting cowboys in the American West, photographing corporate executives and music stars or creating culinary art in his mid-century studio in Nashville.

He began his career in photography immediately upon graduating from Southern Illinois University. With a degree in commercial photography he headed to the Chicago area and began photographing International Harvester Farm Equipment in the vast wheat fields of the northern Midwest.

Mike re-located to Nashville in 1981 along with his wife and two sons. In a few short years he amassed an enviable portfolio not to mention, every award given in his trade. He founded Rutherford Studio in Nashville in 1983 and continued building a wide-ranging client base, while at the same time developing a photography style of his own.

Mike's work is a blend of technical excellence and photographic art. A master of lighting, as well as styling, he has embraced every new trend and technique and continues to do so with a seamless transition into the modern world of digital photography.

From the Highlands of Scotland and the emerald fields of Ireland to Russia, China, Israel, Egypt and Central America, his stunning location photography is an artist's study in lifestyles, beauty and culture. Mike has also covered the length and breadth of the United States, from the Oval Office of President Ronald Reagan to cattle drives in Montana.

In addition to countless award-winning photo shoots, his travels have also resulted in the publication of two coffee table books: The American Cowboy, A Tribute To A Vanishing Breed and Timeless Ireland, Faces and Places of the Emerald Isles. Mike has numerous other books to his credit, half of which are cookbooks. Coming soon to his book collection will be a book on "Scotland" and "Real Life Cowboys".