Whether it was hunting the perfect setting and angle for a portrait or ending the day by capturing a brilliant sunset, Mark Wallheiser always chased the light.
For more than four decades the Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist shot indelible images for the Tallahassee Democrat, Associated Press, Getty and Florida State University and more. He captured moments of triumph and tragedy. He brought an artistic eye to ordinary life and elevated extraordinary lives in the capital city and beyond.
Wallheiser, 72, died Friday, May 15, after a battle with cancer and a brief stay in hospice with his wife and son by his side. He is survived by his wife, Jeanie Booth; son, Justin Wallheiser and his wife Lacey; two grandchildren, Maeve and Caleb, and his beloved border collier, Piper – as well as countless images in scrapbooks that will be passed down through 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 family 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 be cremated with a celebration of life to follow on a date to be determined.
His wife told the Democrat that Wallheiser possessed a “unique” talent that ensured he always got 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 said. “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 personal collection of 2.5 million photos, prints and negatives
And one of his last gifts to the community was ensuring his living photographic record would be forever preserved, archived and available 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 noted he covered almost 50 hurricanes and tropical storms. His territory for storm chasing was from Cedar Key to the Texas state line. And he found himself inside the eye of a hurricane nine times.
He approached his coverage of those events with philanthropy in mind, knowing that “the public needs to see what’s happening” to galvanize the generosity that fuels charities like the Salvation Army, Red Cross and countless other relief organizations.
His work has graced the cover of the Washington Post, the New York Times, USA Today and dozens of other media outlets’ products.
He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for an image he captured of Trump at a rally in Mobile, Alabama, as he held a baby’s face in his hands and supporters basked in his presence as he made his way along the barricades.
He won accolades in 1988 for his expose on the then-crack cocaine problem in Tallahassee. Years later, he won a Pulitzer as part of the Biloxi Sun Herald team for coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2006.
Wallheiser has photographed presidential campaign rallies and visits made to the Southern states by Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and more.
His career as a photojournalist spans decades. He graduated from Western Kentucky University where he initially majored in English before switching to multimedia.
Out of college, Wallheiser’s first photography job was to take headshots of Tennessee Walking Horses, a breed of horse best known for its unusual four 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 team of five other photographers at the Tallahassee Democrat in 1981.
Wallheiser has covered countless breaking news events, from protests and wrecks to the shooting at Strozier Library on the Florida State University campus in 2014. He has chronicled high school and collegiate sporting events, more than 228 of them. The majority of Bobby Bowden’s 28 year long stretch as FSU football coach were documented by Wallheiser’s lenses.
Wallheiser left the Democrat in 2008 and began freelancing. But he remained part of the newspaper family.
He chronicled the final run of the printing press on Magnolia Drive before the paper’s print operations were moved to Gainesville.
He also acted as a mentor and photo editor to many, including Democrat photojournalist Alicia Devine. He helped on multiple projects, including when she chronicled the hidden heroics inside the hospital ER during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and while saving the lives of victims of gun violence.
In a post on Facebook, she wrote that Wallheiser would always tell 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 always had two cameras in the trunk ready to capture life in the moment.
“I’ll never put down a camera, I don’t think,” Wallheiser said on the podcast, adding he takes joy in snapping the shutter every 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 news obituary were from a 2025 article in the Democrat.
MARK WALLHEISER MEMORIES
As news spread of his death, friends and colleagues shared social media remembrances and tributes to the man who many hailed as the city’s best photojournalist. Here are some of them. Share your remembrances or photos for this tribute by emailing us at news@tallahassee.com.
‘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 list goes on and on. A voodoo priestess with a curious Ball Python , a vampire stripper bar in the dicey Tim Burton part of New Orleans, the technique of drawing chicken worms to the surface in North Florida, tales of floodwaters from Hurricane Camille survivors, an afternoon of holding court at Outz’s Too oyster bar. Sure, there were Pulitzer Prizes and nominations. Cancer claimed him too soon. I miss my running mate. I know his family misses him madly too. I loved his laugh and the world is a lesser place without it.” — Mark Hinson, former Tallahassee Democrat columnist.
‘Colorful and salty’
“He was a world class photojournalist, an outstanding sports photographer, and wonderful portrait artist. But I was fortunate to see another side of him: as a photographer for the sheer joy of it. We met up on Big Bend/Panhandle beaches on the darkest nights of the month to photograph the cosmos. It was therapy time for the both of us, each with 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 show host
Calm during 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 kid 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 meaningful to me, I chose Mark’s image of the iconic and beloved Lichgate Oak for the cover of the book I created in honor of my dad, a collection of his writing from his years at the Democrat.” — Amanda Karioth, consulting artist and daughter of longtime Democrat columnist, Gerald Ensley
Picture worth 1,000 words
“If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then I am speechless when looking through the artistry of Mark Wallheiser’s body of work. He was kind, always had a good story, and loved to capture ‘that moment’ at an event. You’ll be missed, Mark. Thanks for all of the memories. — Brett Wellman, blues guitarist
‘Mark saw things others overlooked’
“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 a great photographer isn’t just technical skill, it’s perspective. Mark saw things others overlooked, and through his lens he preserved moments that might have otherwise disappeared forever. His work carried emotion without needing explanation.” — Tom Derzypolski, PR firm owner
‘We’ve lost an artist, go see his magic’
“We’ve lost an artist. Mark touched so many of us… such a uniquely approachable person. Last fall, he came by the house for a visit. Even the walk to the house was a bit much, so we set up chairs in the driveway and talked all things family, art, regrets, hopes… life.”
“As we sat in the driveway that day as he shared his favorite photos, he asked me which was my favorite photo. I told him the police raid of a crackhouse in 2009. It surprised him. Of all his amazing vistas and portraits of life and land, why this one. I told him because the only way to get that shot was to be the first one out of the van, and if anything captured his endless desire to get the shot done right, it was that.”
“He smiled, and for that moment he looked off and I knew right then, he was standing outside that van watching the scene unfold. That’s when I took the shot of him sitting in our driveway. Rest easy friend. Go see his magic…markwallheiser.com.” — Gary Yordon, consultant, columnist and former Leon County commissioner
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: A life behind the lens: Local Pulitzer-winning photographer and mentor, dies
Reporting by William L. Hatfield, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
