After the break, view a slide show with more of Nathan Lovas' photography, followed by the story appearing in today's Eden Prairie News.

Nathan Lovas loved going outside when he was a child. He and his family frequently visited northern Minnesota. At 16, he learned to scuba dive. Today, he is a nature photographer and has combined his passion for the outdoors and photography. Lovas explained, “For me, it’s a way to both spend as much time as I can out in the wilderness, as well as share my experiences with others.”
Lovas, who now lives in Eden Prairie, began his art career in college. With the encouragement of friends who studied art, he taught himself the basics of photography. After college, he moved to the U.S. Virgin Islands and taught diving to supplement his photography career. Lovas started taking underwater photos, which are now his specialty.
For eight years, he flew back and forth between the Virgin Islands and the United States. Two years ago, he returned to Minnesota and mainly focused on shooting local wildlife. He also maintained his habit of traveling around the world and taking photos in other countries.
Lovas intends to continue traveling in the future. He plans to visit Chile soon. He will go to Yellowstone National Park in the fall as well as return to the Caribbean in the winter. However, he acknowledges that Minnesota has some unique opportunities for photography.
He wants to stop at Lake Superior because it offers something divers do not often see in other parts of the world: shipwrecks. Because the lake is made of fresh water instead of saltwater, the wrecks are preserved and still in good shape.
Another part of Minnesota Lovas wants to photograph is the underwater forests. Hundreds of pine trees grow largely submerged beneath the water. He also wants to visit Crosby, Minn., where iron ore mine pits are flooded with clear water. And the diving won’t stop when winter comes. Lovas intends to reap the advantages of ice diving.
When he is not underwater, Lovas enjoys taking pictures of birds. He said they are one of his favorite subjects because “… they’re difficult to shoot. You have to learn their habits and learn how to get close to them.”
Minnesota has more than beautiful landscapes and animals. It is also home to one of his greatest artistic inspirations, National Geographic’s Jim Brandenburg. Because they are both nature photographers, Lovas said he feels particularly connected to him.
Lovas’ dedication to photography has brought him some success of his own. A company approached him that wanted to mass market some of his work. Shoppers can now find several of his pictures on www.target.com.
One of the most important reasons Lovas continues his photography is that it allows him to share what he has experienced with other people. He said, “Sometimes if people understand and appreciate things, they’re more likely to care about it.” If the animals and places he shoots could be protected, Lovas believes that would be a good side-effect of the art he loves so much.