A photographer who has seen it all: David Warren uses his camera for career and hobby

While David Warren has always had in interest in photography, his first photos were ones that, for some, would be hard to take.

After graduating from Southeast Missouri State University, Warren, who is originally from Granite City, Illinois, became a police officer in 1978. Then, in 1979, he was asked to become a crime scene photographer for the force.

"I received training at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Basic and Advanced Photography School in Jefferson City," Warren says.

But he started taking pictures as a hobby in the early 1980s.

"I was always interested in photography, and with my job, it just became a tool of the trade," he says.

Photographer David Warren at the Crime Laboratory in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Warren stayed on the police force until 1984. In 1987, he opened Environmental Analysis South in Jackson, a lab that does water testing.

Warren returned to police work in 2003 as a Missouri State Highway Patrol Officer, where he was called on again to use his photography skills.

"I got additional training in digital and latent print photography at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia," Warren says.

Warren got "heavily into" photography as a hobby in the early 2000s. The techniques and experiences he learned from his work for the Highway Patrol carried over.

Warren says his favorite things to photograph are landscapes and architecture.

"I just take pictures of things that catch my eye, where the lighting and situation is good," says Warren. "I used to just take pictures for myself, but then I started sharing them with people who found them interesting."

Warren had his first photography exhibit in March at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

"I displayed about 40 pieces [at the exhibit]," Warren says.

Warren, who is 58, still works for the Highway Patrol and continues to operate his water-testing lab. He and his wife, Christine, who have been married for 38 years, have two daughters, Rachel, 33, who lives in San Diego, and Leah, 27, who lives in Avon, Colorado.

He plans to continue his photography hobby and offers advice to people just starting out.

"Always have an eye out; compose the image on your viewfinder, and don't be too critical on yourself," he says.

Warren says he uses Photoshop when necessary and that he enjoys the instant gratification of digital photography.

He is continuing to study more advanced photography techniques.

"I'm now taking watercolor lessons and I'm learning how to watercolor my own photographs," he says.