SPEAKERS

Chip Maury began his photography career in 1956 as a U.S. Navy Photographer’s Mate. He served in Underwater Demolition Team Eleven and completed three combat tours in Vietnam as a diver, underwater photographer and Naval parachutist, logging more than 1,500 jumps. Before retiring from the Navy in 1975 as a Chief Petty Officer, Maury led Pacific Stars and Stripes’ photo staff in Tokyo to multiple Military Photographer of the Year awards. He later worked as a staff photographer for The Associated Press in Boston, then served as Director of Photography at The Providence Journal and The Indianapolis Star for nearly two decades combined. Maury spent more than 30 years teaching military photojournalism at Syracuse University and served over 13 years as the NPPA liaison to the Department of Defense. Now retired in upstate New York, he continues to mentor the next generation of storytellers.

Sam Morse is a 13-year Air Force photographer veteran and current video producer and director at the 2nd Audiovisual Squadron directing scripted and live productions for the Department of the Air Force. Producing footage for the Space Force back in 2022 nudged him into astrophotography, first capturing Milky Way timelapses and eventually diving into deep space astrophotography. Since then, he’s become a member of the Ogden Astronomical Society, providing outreach and lectures during club meetups and star parties. He also founded Utah Astro, selling fine art prints of his landscape and deep space astrophotography. His lecture at the 2026 DC Shoot Off will include an overview of light pollution and filters, as well as an overview of different kinds of astrophotography, from landscapes and star trails that can be captured with a simple camera and tripod, to more advanced deep space object photography using guided equatorial mounts, astrograph telescopes, and cooled astro cameras. You can see examples of his astro work at www.utah-astro.com

Gina K. Danals is a seasoned visual storyteller and communications professional with over two decades of experience capturing the human experience through photography, design, and multimedia production. A proud native of Cocoa Beach, Florida, she dedicated 22 years to the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist. ​ With a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Gina has combined her formal education with real-world experience, traveling to more than 25 countries to document war, peace, humanitarian missions, and the everyday lives of service members. Her powerful imagery and design work have earned her multiple awards, including recognition in the Military Graphic Artist of the Year and Military Photographer of the Year competitions, as well as accolades from the Department of Defense Worldwide Photography Workshop. Serving aboard aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, and destroyers, she deployed in support of major operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, using her lens to share the untold stories of service and sacrifice. ​ Beyond her technical skills, Gina played a pivotal role in public affairs, managing media engagements, leading creative teams, and mentoring the next generation of military storytellers. As a senior leader, she ensured operational readiness for rapid-response communication teams and oversaw major public relations initiatives for Navy commands. Her assignments also provided her with the rare opportunity to photograph and document influential figures across politics, entertainment, sports, space exploration, and activism. She has had the privilege of capturing moments with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, legendary film icons like director James Cameron, producer Jon Landau, and NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Jim Lovell. Her work has also extended to human rights activist Martin Luther King III, hip-hop pioneer Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-DMC, and some of the biggest names in professional sports. ​ Today, Gina is the Senior Photo Editor for Stand Together, a philanthropic community committed to breaking down barriers that prevent people from realizing their full potential. She travels extensively throughout the United States, documenting critical issues shaping the nation—from education and the economy to fractured communities and social division. Through her work, she continues to harness the power of visual storytelling to inform, inspire, and drive meaningful change. ​ Outside of her professional endeavors, Gina is passionate about mentorship, using her experience to guide aspiring photographers and communicators in both the military and civilian sectors. She remains an advocate for the transformative impact of visual storytelling, believing in its ability to bridge divides and amplify voices that often go unheard.

Matthew Breitbart is a Digital Imaging Specialist at The Library of Congress. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photojournalism from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Matthew also has 40 hours of continuing education credits from the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s International Forensic Photography Workshop. His federal imaging and photography experience includes a very wide variety of materials ranging from the human remains of five presidents, the bullet that killed President Lincoln, the skeleton of Able the Space Monkey, Paul Revere’s dental tools, the skull of an unknown 54th Mass Soldier from the American Civil War, President Garfield’s spine section, the comic books Batman #1 and Superman #1 and countless other national treasures. His work has appeared on the cover of medical journals and in numerous books, magazines, and newspapers such as the Washington Post, Military Times, Stars and Stripes, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research and Military Medicine: International Journal of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States.

Laurence “Larry” Levin earned an MFA in Film and Electronic Media at American University in 2005. His thesis project, Stryker’s America, distributed by Films.com, is a video documentary about Roy Stryker and the Farm Security Administration photography collection. Additional production experiences include: “The West Wing,” “The Apprentice,” GEICO commercials, and other productions. He has worked for over 15 years as a photo editor and researcher, working for magazines, book publishers, and organizations. He brings unique, knowledgeable credentials to photo research, project management, and database management. As a photo editor, he was fortunate to hire outstanding photographers throughout the U.S. and to obtain images from many agencies and archives. For Stryker’s America, images were acquired from the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and the University of Louisville. Completed the photo research for the book “The First Americans: Photographs from the Library of Congress” and “Vietnam: Images from Combat Photographers” at the National Archives. As a magazine photo editor in Washington, DC, he photographed events and people on Capitol Hill and in The White House. His past assignments include The Swiss Embassy, GEICO Insurance, USAID, German American Business Council, The Grocery Manufacturer’s Association, Save the Children, Special Olympics and Best Buddies.

Mark Kettenhofen is a seasoned traveler and award-winning photographer that has been documenting the world through his lens for more than 45 years. His journey began in 1980 when he enlisted in the Navy armed with his camera and a passion for storytelling. In an era where film still reigned supreme, Mark embarked on a career that would eventually take him to every corner of the globe.  Trained as a photojournalist at Syracuse University, Mark spent two decades as a Navy Photojournalist, documenting historic military operations worldwide. His  dedication and talent earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious title of Military Photographer of the Year.  Upon retiring from the Navy in 2000, Mark's talent caught the eye of Nikon USA, where he served as a senior staff photographer for 21 years. His assignments read like a checklist of major global events, from Olympic games to presidential inaugurations, Super Bowls to FIFA World Cups. Mark's diverse skill set, technical prowess, and vision have helped him to create images in a myriad of environments, ranging from basketball courts to underwater arenas, and even as far as Everest Base Camp and the Galapagos Islands.  In these varied settings, he captured defining moments with images that are still being used globally by Nikon.  In 2009, Mark published a captivating visual journey across America in “America from 500 Feet II.” From coast to coast and from majestic mountains to desolate deserts, Mark captured the essence of iconic America through stunning aerial photography. Flying at 500 feet or less, using an experimental ultra-light aircraft, his documentation showcased the diverse beauty of our country, accompanied by compelling stories that touch the heart.   After leaving Nikon in April 2021, Mark embraced a new chapter by assuming the role of Olympic Photo Manager for the Tokyo Olympics and establishing his media company, Shadow Catcher Media.  Mark's dedication goes beyond capturing iconic moments; it's about fostering community and knowledge-sharing. He's led workshops for prestigious organizations such as Arizona Highways Magazine, National Geographic's Lindblad Expeditions, Santa Fe Workshops, Epic Photo Adventures, Summit Workshops and PhotoQuest Adventures.   Additionally, for 28 years, he has played a vital role as a senior workshop leader at the esteemed Eddie Adams Workshop and was just recently awarded the position of Chief Operations Officer for the 501.c3 nonprofit workshop.  Mark also leads multiple wildlife safari photo workshops to Kenya, Uganda, and Alaska, providing hands-on expert guidance in some of the world's most breathtaking natural environments.  In addition, his expertise led him to teach workshops in the culturally rich Silk Road area of Cappadocia, where he has helped photographers capture the unique landscapes and heritage of this ancient region.  Alongside his professional pursuits, he volunteers as a field staff photographer with the non-profit group First Descents.  First Descents significantly enhances the long-term well-being of young adults facing cancer and other serious health conditions through empowering outdoor experiences, skill-building initiatives, and nurturing local adventure communities.   Despite his remarkable achievements, Mark remains deeply rooted in his passion for exploration, adventure, and the artistry of photography, persistently seeking fresh challenges and opportunities to weave compelling narratives through his lens.

Amy Davis, an award-winning photojournalist and author based in Baltimore, retired last year from The Baltimore Sun, after a 38-year career covering a mix of general and breaking news, features, education, sports and documentary projects. Her empathy for her subjects is always apparent, whether the subject is teen pregnancy, homelessness, the impact of gun violence, or the September 11th attack on the Pentagon.  In 2020, Amy was part of the Sun newsroom team that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting for revealing the undisclosed relationship between then-Mayor Catherine Pugh and a public hospital system she helped to oversee.  During her tenure at The Sun, Amy embarked on a personal photo book project, Flickering Treasures: Rediscovering Baltimore’s Forgotten Movie Theaters. The book was so well-received that Johns Hopkins University Press initiated a second printing a few months after the book’s publication in 2017. Solo exhibitions of Flickering Treasures were held at the National Building Museum in DC in 2018-2019, and the Maryland Center for History and Culture in 2020-2022.  Her work has been featured in other museum shows and area galleries, and is in the permanent collection of the Hudson River Museum, the Maryland Center for History and Culture, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, and private collections. www.flickeringtreasures.com www.facebook.com/flickeringtreasures

Kenny Holston's focus is Capitol Hill - the seat of the U.S. government and the core of American democracy. His photographs offer an authentic visual depiction of America's lawmakers, service members and an array of political events such as State of the Union addresses, House Speaker elections and Congressional Committee hearings. Holston has been working as a photojournalist for 18 years. His career began as a U.S. Air Force photographer in 2005. He served for 13 years in numerous assignments across the globe, some of which included performing the duties of a combat photojournalist in Afghanistan, an autopsy photographer at the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System in Delaware and a staff photographer at Airman Magazine in Maryland. Along the way he earned a combat action badge and other service medals for his performance. He studied photojournalism at Syracuse University and at the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Md. While he's now based in Washington, he's a proud born and raised Texan. He joined the staff of The New York Times in 2022. As a former airman, he continues to be guided by the U.S. Air Force’s core values — integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. These core values keep him focused on upholding the highest standards of ethical journalism, as outlined in The Times’s Ethical Journalism Handbook. There has never been a more important time for photojournalists to hone these values, as we face rapid advances in artificial intelligence and threats of photo and video manipulation.  ​ His goal is to strengthen public confidence in the authenticity of his photographs by producing images that are truthful, unaltered and captured without bias. He takes great care to show respect to all subjects of my photographs, regardless of their situation or status. He approaches this work with compassion and an open mind, while striving to reach the core of every story with integrity.