Jess Lee's love affair with photography began during his teens in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains where he was raised in a ranching family. This early passion for being in the outdoors with a camera led to his doing reconnaissance photography for various US government agencies during his early 20's while serving in the military. Over the next 30 years, Jess, with his wife Carol, have balanced running a stock photography business, serving as staff photographer on several magazines, having a career in the communications industry and raising a family. In 1999, he left the bounds of the corporate world to pursue his photography career fulltime.

Jess's photos have appeared in many diverse publications including: Paris Match, National Geographic, Defenders of Wildlife, Audubon, Wilderness, National Parks, Sports Afield, Sierra Magazine, among others. He also has contributed to several regional magazines and newspapers. Today, while a couple of book projects on endangered places are progressing, much of his work is used by advertising clients from industries as varied as automotive, banking and sporting goods.

Jess and Carol live in southeast Idaho, with Yellowstone and the magnificent Tetons in their very backyard. This is his base, where he not only supplies images for publication, but he also shares his expertise with others through photo workshops and tours.