“Lake Tahoe, Jewel of the Sierra features the black and white photography of Jim Hildinger, a longtime resident of the Lake Tahoe basin.

Jim Hildinger received a Master’s degree in music education with a minor in natural sciences from Log Angeles State College. He played violin in the 7th Army Symphony in 1957 and has given numerous concerts in Reno and South Lake Tahoe. In 1958 he was employed as a music teacher by the Lake Tahoe Unified School District from which he retired in 1987.

Photography has always been a part of Mr. Hildinger’s life. During the past twenty years he has become well-known in the Tahoe area for large black and white images that are produced with both medium and large-format cameras. The natural beauty of the Lake Tahoe basin has provided subject matter for the majority of Mr. Hildinger’s photographic work. His interest in the natural environment along with his aesthetic and technical skill as an artist combine to create powerful images of the rugged beauty of our local environs.

The environmental philosophy of this artist is easy to determine from his frequently quoted statement that “the best possible thing that you could do for Lake Tahoe is to go away and leave it alone – the environment cannot compromise, it can only react”. In his next breath, however, he will remind you of Frank Lloyd Wright as he dreamed of a future where, with proper planning, many more people could conceivably enjoy the natural splendors of the Tahoe area without additional environmental impact.