Laurence's love of the outdoors was inspired by his parents, Hiram and Annette Parent, who took him on numerous hiking and camping trips when he was young. Because his father was a National Park Service ranger, he grew up in some of America's most beautiful places. Among other tasks, Laurence's father did photo work for the National Park Service and occasional freelance jobs on the side. His mother periodically wrote magazine articles, often on travel subjects. Although Laurence had no conscious desire to photograph and write until he was already a practicing engineer, as he grew older he was drawn to the photographic profession by his love of the outdoors and a desire to work for himself.
Laurence travels all over the United States and to other countries in pursuit of exceptional images. He has gathered stock photos from 49 states, four Canadian provinces and several other countries. Laurence's images showcase the best photography of national parks, state parks, private ranches, historic landmarks, and outdoor and nature subjects. He typically spends up to half of the year on the road. Through patience and planning, he tries to capture his photographic subjects at the perfect moment of light and weather. He hopes that the photographs produced by his efforts will inspire people to protect our world's beautiful natural and historical heritage.
To get the best possible image quality, Laurence specializes in large-format 4x5 film images of the natural and human landscape. He also uses a Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR to capture images that are impossible to get with a 4x5 film camera, such as outdoor sports. In recent years he has begun to collaborate with his wife, Patricia Caperton Parent, on book and magazine projects. Laurence and Patricia make their home in the Austin, Texas, area.
