Willis Bretz

Willis Bretz is a portrait and documentary photographer based in Washington, DC (temporarily located in Reno, NV Aug-Oct).  He earned a BA in history at Westminster College while also studying art and photography.  His passion for history is evident in his personal work as he explores moments of American history.  Most notable is his project, , in which he camped with and photographed Civil War reenactors over a period of six years.  

Not clinging solely to the past, his work also highlights subcultures and individuals with intriguing backgrounds.  Raised in rural western Pennsylvania, he is drawn to people and places that remind him of his small hometown.  More recently in an ongoing project, he is documenting his family’s  and the wilderness of Allegheny National Forest that surrounds it.