Farrell was born in Athens, Tennessee in 1933. Growing up with modest means, Farrell expressed his artistic inclination early in life through his involvement in photography and learning to build fine furniture. After receiving the rank of Eagle Scout and graduating from high school, Farrell joined the navy and became ship's photographer on the USS Wisconsin. He later attended Tennessee Tech University, receiving a bachelor's degree in Engineering, and then settled into a life of work, church, raising a family, and building furniture. Although he continued to take great pleasure in photographing his family, his camera took a back seat to the many other endeavors in life. After receiving a Masters Degree with honors and passing the professional engineering exam, Farrell eventually retired with Fern, his wife of forty-five years, to their long-time mountain home in Walden, Tennessee.

photo by Joyce Dale

Retirement was not to be a quiet endeavor for Farrell, however, once the gift of a camera from his son rekindled his passion for the photographic image. He traveled with his son to Pecos, New Mexico, for a master class by Bruce Dale of National Geographic fame. There Farrell was introduced to digital photography, a far cry from the Kodak Brownie he had used growing up. The next year Farrell was photographing with his own digital camera when it fell into the Pecos River. The damage incurred created the distortions in pattern and color produced by the magic camera, but it is Farrell's passion for the image, experimentation, and artistic eye that makes these images beautiful and enduring.

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