Carl began photographing in 1987, doing intelligence photography and serving as ship's photographer while in the Navy. His passion for nature and wildlife photography bloomed when he worked as a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of northern Minnesota. Carl maintains a fine art nature gallery in downtown Anchorage and has been published in several magazines, including Nature Photographer, Alaska and Rural Cooperatives. His photography has been recognized in local and international photography exhibitions.