Thomas D. Mangelsen, a Nebraska native, is recognized as one of the world's premier nature photographers. Mangelsen's love of nature, his life in the outdoors, and business success were heavily influenced by his father. An avid sportsman, Harold Mangelsen took his sons to favorite blinds along the Platte River in Nebraska to hunt and observe the huge flocks of ducks, geese, and cranes that migrate through the area. From these outings Mangelsen learned the important lessons for photographing in the field, including patience, waiting for the right moment, and understanding animal behavior.

In 1965, Mangelsen began studying business at the University of Nebraska. In 1967, Tom transferred to Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, where his first love prevailed and he graduated with a bachelors degree in biology. He continued post graduate study in zoology and wildlife biology at the University of Nebraska and Colorado State University. In 1974, he worked as a cinematographer which led to the opportunity to film whooping cranes for National Geographic. The resulting Emmy-nominated television special, "Flight of the Whooping Crane," chronicles the plight of these endangered birds and the efforts to bring them back from the brink of extinction. In 1990, Mangelsen photographed and produced the PBS Nature and BBC Natural World film, "Cranes of the Grey Wind," a documentary on the life cycle of the sandhill crane. "Cranes of the Grey Wind" is now available on DVD.

Since college, Mangelsen has been fascinated with photographing his early studies, birds in flight. In the early 1970's, he and his brother David began selling limited-edition prints of Tom's images. In 1978, Mangelsen opened his first Images of Nature® gallery in Jackson, Wyoming, and printed his first brochure. Since then, fifteen galleries have opened; Scottsdale, AZ; La Jolla, CA; Sun Valley, ID; Galena, Oak Brook, IL; Kansas City, MO; Omaha, NE; three in Denver and one in Steamboat Springs and Breckenridge, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Park City, UT; and Kirkland, WA.

In 2005 Tom was named one of the "100 Most Important People in Photography" by American Photo magazine and was honored with Nikon's "Legend behind the Lens" recognition. He has received an Honorary Fellowship from The Royal Photographic Society in 2002, was named North American Nature Photographer Association's (NANPA) "Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year" in 2000 and in 1994, Mangelsen received the prestigious "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" Award, sponsored by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and British Gas etc.

Mangelsen's work has been published in National Geographic, Audubon, National Wildlife, Smithsonian, Natural History, Newsweek, Wildlife Art, American Photo, National Wildlife and other publications. In addition, there are a growing number of books for young readers, art cards, fine art posters, puzzles and calendars available through Images of Nature® galleries.