Paul Desmarais was born in Everett, Massachusetts in 1962. His first exposure to photography was in the home dark room of a high school friend. The gradual emergence of an image in the mysterious red lit room felt magical. That sense of creative magic stayed with Paul until he had the opportunity to try his hand at making magic himself. In 1985, while studying Zoology and Journalism at the University of Massachusetts/ Amherst, Paul began working for his college paper. The same wizardry he’d admired in his friend’s home darkroom was now happening at his own direction.

For nearly two deacades, Paul has worked as a photojournalist in Connecticut, photographing political figures Bill & Hillary Clinton, Madeline Albright, and Jimmy Carter and sporting events from scholastic to professional. In the course of his career, Paul has won dozens of state, regional, and national awards for his work from the National Press Photographer’s Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, Connecticut News Photographers, and The Associated Press.

Paul’s creativity was not limited to his role as a documentarian. Photography of a wide variety of subjects including landscapes & wildlife, taken simply because they were there and needed to be photographed. He has had exhibits at Sacred Heart University, The Ferguson Library, and the Loft Artsists Association as well as a number of outdoor art festivals throughout the Northeast.

In 2001, he began a nine month project to photograph the eight species of owls native to Connecticut. That project, published in April of 2002, over four pages in The Advocate, proved to be immensely popular with readers. The pictures were exhibited at Sound Waters, the Rye Nature Center, and The New Canaan Nature Center. During these shows, and the opening receptions for them, Paul discovered he enjoyed discussing his work and creative inspiration.

He continues to seek opportunities to show his work on a wider scale. Paul’s current projects include an upcoming exhibit at the Mayor’s Gallery in the city of Stamford, and an ongoing long-term project he has tentatively titled “The Long Island Sound; Watershed Moments”.