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Whether it was searching the right setting and angle for a portrait or ending the day by capturing an excellent sundown, Mark Wallheiser all the time chased the sunshine.
For greater than 4 many years the Pulitzer Prize profitable photojournalist shot indelible photos for the Tallahassee Democrat, Associated Press, Getty and Florida State University and extra. He captured moments of triumph and tragedy. He introduced a creative eye to unusual life and elevated extraordinary lives within the capital metropolis and past.
Wallheiser, 72, died Friday, May 15, after a battle with most cancers and a short keep in hospice along with his spouse and son by his facet. He is survived by his spouse, Jeanie Booth; son, Justin Wallheiser and his spouse Lacey; two grandchildren, Maeve and Caleb, and his beloved border collie, Piper – in addition to numerous photos in scrapbooks that will likely be handed down via the generations.
“Mark Wallheiser, whose photographs have documented history, captured incredible moments in time and brought joy to so many, passed away yesterday afternoon,” his household wrote in an announcement posted to Facebook. “It was not only his images that built a loyal fan base and life long friends, but his love of a cold beer, music, fishing, adventure and so much more. He made a lasting impact on many lives and will be deeply missed.”
He will likely be cremated with a celebration of life to comply with on a date to be decided.
His spouse instructed the Democrat that Wallheiser possessed a “unique” expertise that ensured he all the time obtained his shot.
“One of the things I always said about Mark was that he had a real gift for just being able to meet somebody,” Jeanie mentioned. “It didn’t matter if it was the president of the Florida Bar or president of the United States. He had the ability to pick up something about their character and personality and reflect that in the photos he took.”
When he retired from FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in December 2023, Wallheiser had amassed a private assortment of two.5 million pictures, prints and negatives
And one among his final items to the neighborhood was guaranteeing his dwelling photographic document can be without end preserved, archived and obtainable for public viewing after donating them to FSU’s Strozier Library.
A life and mentor behind the lens
During an interview with Mark Fiore on the “How I Got Here” podcast, Wallheiser famous he lined nearly 50 hurricanes and tropical storms. His territory for storm chasing was from Cedar Key to the Texas state line. And he discovered himself inside the attention of a hurricane 9 instances.
He approached his protection of these occasions with philanthropy in thoughts, understanding that “the public needs to see what’s happening” to impress the generosity that fuels charities just like the Salvation Army, Red Cross and numerous different reduction organizations.
His work has graced the quilt of the Washington Post, the New York Times, USA Today and dozens of different media shops’ merchandise.
He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for a picture he captured of Trump at a rally in Mobile, Alabama, as he held a child’s face in his fingers and supporters basked in his presence as he made his approach alongside the barricades.
He gained accolades in 1988 for his expose on the then-crack cocaine downside in Tallahassee. Years later, he won a Pulitzer as a part of the Biloxi Sun Herald workforce for protection of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2006.
Wallheiser has photographed presidential marketing campaign rallies and visits made to the Southern states by Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and extra.
His profession as a photojournalist spans many years. He graduated from Western Kentucky University the place he initially majored in English earlier than switching to multimedia.
Out of school, Wallheiser’s first images job was to take headshots of Tennessee Walking Horses, a breed of horse greatest recognized for its uncommon 4 beat running-walk.
After three years, he left Tennessee for Alabama to work for the Montgomery Advertiser in 1978. From there he moved to Florida’s capital to work with a workforce of 5 different photographers on the Tallahassee Democrat in 1981.
Wallheiser has lined numerous breaking information occasions, from protests and wrecks to the taking pictures at Strozier Library on the Florida State University campus in 2014. He has chronicled highschool and collegiate sporting occasions, greater than 228 of them. The majority of Bobby Bowden’s 28 yr lengthy stretch as FSU soccer coach have been documented by Wallheiser’s lenses.
Wallheiser left the Democrat in 2008 and commenced freelancing. But he remained a part of the newspaper household.
He chronicled the ultimate run of the printing press on Magnolia Drive earlier than the paper’s print operations have been moved to Gainesville.
He additionally acted as a mentor and picture editor to many, together with Democrat photojournalist Alicia Devine. He helped on a number of initiatives, together with when she chronicled the hidden heroics contained in the hospital ER through the top of the COVID-19 pandemic and whereas saving the lives of victims of gun violence.
In a submit on Facebook, she wrote that Wallheiser would all the time inform her to “find the light.”
“He always pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and to try different things in order to get the shot,” she wrote. “The one thing that he said that’ll stay with me forever is ‘did you tell the whole story?’ That question had me back in the ER that night capturing the images to fill the gaps in the photo essay.”
“Wallheiser was always willing to share his infinite knowledge with me. I’ll forever be grateful for the time and teachings he shared with me.”
Wherever he went, Wallheiser all the time had two cameras within the trunk able to seize life within the second.
“I’ll never put down a camera, I don’t think,” Wallheiser mentioned on the podcast, including he takes pleasure in snapping the shutter each single day. “It excites me every time I pick one up.”
“I don’t know where it will end up, but that’s OK too. It keeps it exciting.”
Portions of this information obituary have been from a 2025 article within the Democrat.
MARK WALLHEISER MEMORIES
As information unfold of his dying, pals and colleagues shared social media remembrances and tributes to the person who many hailed as town’s greatest photojournalist. Here are a few of them. Share your remembrances or pictures for this tribute by emailing us at [email protected].
‘Adventure awaited’: What it was like working with a legend
“It was always a thrill when Mark Wallheiser was assigned to my stories as photographer at The Tallahassee Democrat newspaper. It meant laughs, talent and adventure awaited. We got booted out of the Super Dome in New Orleans by head coach Steve Spurrier during a hush-hush practice session with his quarterback. We rode in an old school bus to Bubba’s Pizza in the boondocks of the Florida Panhandle to watch the band The Groovy Grapes. The owner of Bubba’s kept a loaded pistol in the ice box in a plastic Ziploc bag to prevent powder burns. We covered a raucous, rainy Spring Break in Panama City Beach where Wallheiser created art out of chaos.
“The checklist goes on and on. A voodoo priestess with a curious Ball Python , a vampire stripper bar within the dicey Tim Burton a part of New Orleans, the strategy of drawing hen worms to the floor in North Florida, tales of floodwaters from Hurricane Camille survivors, a day of holding courtroom at Outz’s Too oyster bar. Sure, there have been Pulitzer Prizes and nominations. Cancer claimed him too quickly. I miss my operating mate. I do know his household misses him madly too. I cherished his snicker and the world is a lesser place with out it.” — Mark Hinson, former Tallahassee Democrat columnist.
‘Colorful and salty’
“He was a world class photojournalist, an excellent sports activities photographer, and great portrait artist. But I used to be lucky to see one other facet of him: as a photographer for the sheer pleasure of it. We met up on Big Bend/Panhandle seashores on the darkest nights of the month to {photograph} the cosmos. It was remedy time for the each of us, every with totally different emotional wounds to nurse and heal.
“Mark’s photography reflected his personality: colorful and salty! Oh, the stories he would tell. He taught me so much about acceptance. I miss him already. Godspeed my friend.” — Kathryn Stivers, architect, artist and photographer
‘A remarkably clear lens’
“One of Tallahassee’s shining stars just took his place among the heavens. Mark Wallheiser was a friend and a colleague. For Tallahassee and the world, he was a humble observer who saw us through his remarkably clear lens.” — Brien Sörne, radio present host
Calm throughout chaos
“Through the years, if it was a really big case or serious political controversy in Florida, chances were that Mark Wallheiser, a legendary Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist who died yesterday, was on the scene to capture the event for the Tallahassee Democrat, Associated Press, or Getty images.”
“What I will always remember is how Mark was so very calm and easy to chat with during events that were often chaotic, to say the least. So rest in peace, my friend, and thanks for so many memories that so many of us will be able to view time and again due to your professional gifts!” — Chuck Hobbs, columnist and commentator
A newsroom child remembers
“I’ve known Mark since I was a child. He and my dad were friends and colleagues at the Tallahassee Democrat for decades, and some of my earliest memories are of being a kid in that newsroom. I would lose interest in the hustle bustle cacophony of the writers and wander into the photo lab instead. That’s where I always found Mark.”
“He was my favorite. A fun-loving, salty, energetic visual storyteller who never seemed to mind a precocious kid hovering nearby. He treated me with warmth and ease, like I belonged there too, among the images and the chemicals and the quiet intensity of photographers at work.”
“As an adult, our connection deepened in new ways. I had the privilege of curating his work for numerous exhibitions, and I included one of his photographs in a recent book project I did for the Tallahassee Symphony, “T is for Tallahassee.”
“Most significant to me, I selected Mark’s picture of the enduring and beloved Lichgate Oak for the quilt of the ebook I created in honor of my dad, a set of his writing from his years on the Democrat.” — Amanda Karioth, consulting artist and daughter of longtime Democrat columnist, Gerald Ensley
Picture worth 1,000 words
“If an image is value 1,000 phrases, then I’m speechless when trying via the artistry of Mark Wallheiser’s physique of labor. He was form, all the time had a superb story, and cherished to seize ‘that second’ at an occasion. You’ll be missed, Mark. Thanks for all the reminiscences. — Brett Wellman, blues guitarist
‘Mark noticed issues others neglected’
“Today the creative world lost a true artist. Mark Wallheiser had a rare gift – the ability to capture life exactly as it was: honest, fleeting, beautiful, and deeply human. His photographs never felt staged or forced. They felt lived in. Real.
“The mark of an amazing photographer isn’t simply technical ability, it’s perspective. Mark noticed issues others neglected, and thru his lens he preserved moments that may have in any other case disappeared without end. His work carried emotion without having rationalization.” — Tom Derzypolski, PR agency proprietor
‘We’ve misplaced an artist, go see his magic’
“We’ve misplaced an artist. Mark touched so many people… such a uniquely approachable particular person. Last fall, he got here by the home for a go to. Even the stroll to the home was a bit a lot, so we arrange chairs within the driveway and talked all issues household, artwork, regrets, hopes… life.”
“As we sat within the driveway that day as he shared his favourite pictures, he requested me which was my favourite picture. I instructed him the police raid of a crackhouse in 2009. It stunned him. Of all his wonderful vistas and portraits of life and land, why this one. I instructed him as a result of the one solution to get that shot was to be the primary one out of the van, and if something captured his countless want to get the shot performed proper, it was that.”
“He smiled, and for that second he seemed off and I knew proper then, he was standing outdoors that van watching the scene unfold. That’s once I took the shot of him sitting in our driveway. Rest simple good friend. Go see his magic…markwallheiser.com.” — Gary Yordon, marketing consultant, columnist and former Leon County commissioner
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https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2026/05/16/pulitzer-winning-photojournalist-mark-wallheiser-dies-tallahassee-photos/90108314007/
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