We've all been there.  We've all been asked by someone, somewhere, outside of our state: "Where are you from?" When we proudly respond with a resounding, "West Virginia," the jokes begin to fly. "Do y'all wear shoes?" "Are those your real teeth?" "How many coal miners do you know?" "Is one leg really longer than the other from walking up and down all of those hills?" "Are you married your cousin?" It never fails. Our majestic state, full of good-hearted, hard-working, people is the focal point of entirely too much national disrespect. After a while, we begin to believe the negativity. This mindset must change.

I am on a mission. I want to change, not only the way our state is viewed from the outside looking in, but also how we, as West Virginians, view our state. We are blessed with breath-taking mountain vistas, peaceful, winding rivers, plush, rolling hills, charming small towns, lively cities, historical treasures, abundant state parks, high-quality institutions for higher learning, and so much more! For all of these reasons, we have should feel a great sense of pride for our state.

This is the focus of Mountain State Photography. I want to show off West Virginia's beauty to the world. I want our state to be known as a place of beauty, hospitality, and pride.

Please take some time to explore the galleries on this site. Here, you will see the best of West Virginia through the lens of my camera. I want to emphasize that this site it not complete. I frequently travel around the state in search of more images, so be sure to visit often. If you have a place in mind that you would like me to visit, please go to the "CONTACT ME" page and send me a message.

Thank you for visiting Mountain State Photography ... telling West Virginia's story one photo at a time!

Sincerely,
Robbie Skinner