Success on Paper: Michael Rung, Nature and Landscape Photographer

Thinking of bringing your print production in-house?

Discover how we helped Michael Rung make the leap with high-quality, affordable art print paper.

Luck of the Irish Landscape

It was a business trip that planted the seeds of Michael Rung's new business. While working in Ireland in 2015, a scenic bus tour of the rocky northern coast launched Michael’s passion for capturing nature's beauty. Upon returning home, he bought his first DSLR camera, started his fine-art nature and landscape photography business in 2018, and left his corporate career behind for good in 2022.

Enter Red River Paper

In 2021, Michael invested in a Canon Pro 2100 professional large-format printer. His next purchase: museum-grade paper. Michael is a fan of our Palo Duro Etching, a 100% cotton rag archival paper that offers the classic look of a fine photographic art print. Because we don’t add chemicals to make the paper look bright white, the whites of an image take on a warm elegance — perfect for nature and landscape photos.

Below, see Michael’s “Transcendent Glow” photograph, taken in southern Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The following image is a collage of Michael’s “Look for the Light: Volume One,” a collection of his favorite photos taken between 2019 and 2021.

“I quickly landed on Red River Paper as my go-to vendor and Palo Duro Etching as my paper of choice,” says Michael, who is based in Fort Worth, Texas. “After relying on third parties to produce all my prints for a few years, I wanted to shift production in-house. Red River has helped facilitate that and elevate the quality of print offerings.”

See More of Michael’s Work

MichaelRungPhotography.com showcases his work, trip reports, and behind-the-scenes views of his in-field experiences. Visit his YouTube channel for Lightroom Classic tutorials and insights into his vision. To discover more about his limited-edition “Look to the Light” print folio, read our Q&A with Michael below.

Enjoy our Q&A with Michael Rung ...

What year was your business founded and how did you get started?
I started with the intent of being a travel photographer. But over time, I realized that I most loved being out in nature. Around 2018, when I formed my company, I focused solely on nature, landscape photography, and prints.

Tell us a little about what product or service your business offers.
In addition to in-field and online photography workshops/mentoring, my primary focus is producing and selling fine art prints of my nature photos.

What makes your business unique?
Unlike many photographers who focus on “wowing” potential customers with heavily edited/composited images of nature, I focus on the authentic representation of what I see and experience. With rapidly advancing technology for editing (swapping out skies, etc.) and now AI imagery, I've started sharing more behind-the-scenes glimpses of my in-field experiences, post-processing, and more through a series of blog posts and trip reports.

In what ways does the business reflect your own personality?
I try to keep it casual and fun but still professional and polished.

Who are your typical customers?
Retirees, other photographers, and anyone who appreciates nature, either by experiencing it with a camera or hanging art in their home/office.

What is the most interesting project you've encountered in the course of your work?
In 2022, I produced my first-ever limited-edition print folio, "Look for the Light." It's a collection of 10 of my favorite photos from my first few years of work. It was a huge (and fun) learning experience! From selecting the vendor to choosing images to sorting out shipping materials (so I could keep things eco-friendly and affordable while ensuring the folios arrived in pristine condition) — it was far more work than I expected! But I loved the process and followed up with a second volume late in 2023.

What has Red River Paper done for your business? Is there a particular challenge Red River Paper has helped you overcome or a goal they helped you meet?
After purchasing a Canon Pro 2100 [printer] early in 2021, I quickly landed on Red River Paper as my go-to vendor and Palo Duro Etching as my paper of choice. Your paper is usually more affordable than other respected options while still meeting the highest quality standards and my own high expectations. After relying on third parties to produce all my prints for a few years, I wanted to shift production in-house. Red River has helped facilitate that and elevate the quality of my print offerings.

What do you appreciate most about Red River Paper's products/services?
Pricing, customer service, and speed of delivery.

Do you have any future growth or product launch or event goals you’d like to share?
I'm currently focused on expanding the reach of my work through SEO and social media (including my YouTube channel) to build a larger audience and potential customer base. I also redesigned my website early in 2023 to improve the user experience and emphasize my print offerings, blog posts, and various free downloads I've made available over the past year (portfolio ebooks, educational resources, calendars, etc.). Although my print folios have been slow to take off — as I expected going into that project — I plan to continue producing new ones. I am considering offering folios beyond my "Look for the Light" series. Lastly, I'd like to start offering in-field workshops in the coming year. Teaching others is another passion of mine!

Would you like to share a customer testimonial?
“I recently received my ‘Look for the Light’ folio. Very happy with my decision to purchase this. Amazing images in the collection, a folio that feels good in the hands, and printed on fine art paper for a great total product. It is obvious there was a high level of thought and attention to detail that went into all of it.” – Recent customer