Fotobudz
About Chris Wheeler
I’m a Southern California–based fine-art photographer whose work explores the collision of cannabis culture, underground music, and urban exploration.
Career Highlights
- Nine years freelance: Built my practice across editorial, event, and commissioned shoots.
- Rediscovered in NYC (2010): A life-changing trip that reignited my passion.
- Cannabis renaissance (since 2016): Documented marquee SoCal events—Emerald Cup, Chalice Festival, HighTimes Cannabis Cup series, Farmers Cup, Champs Trade Show, ASD Market Week.
- Cover features: Vegas Cannabis · San Diego Reader · TheCoastNews.com
- Iconic portraits:
- Jason Harris of Jerome Baker Designs, hired me to photograph a collaboration with Tommy Chong at Tommy's house LA
- Posed Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs & Harmony at the Highlife Music Festival
- Jason Harris of Jerome Baker Designs, hired me to photograph a collaboration with Tommy Chong at Tommy's house LA
- Corporate commissions: Captured KushCo’s (now Greenlane) MJBizCon booth and Dope Magazine after-party, photographing Mike Tyson.
- Awarded: 5th place in Architecture at the 2024 San Diego County Fair (out of 4,000 entries across 16 categories).
I’m now channeling nine years of subcultural storytelling into gallery-ready limited-edition prints and forging partnerships with galleries and collectors.
Finding My Voice: Healing Through Art, AI, and Resilience
After 35 years of feeling fragmented and unheard, I finally received a diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) in February 2025—an often overlooked condition affecting just 1–1.5 % of people worldwide.
Diagnosis & Clarity
- Long-overdue recognition: Gave names to the internal voices silenced by confusion and stigma.
- Rare & misunderstood: DID remains under-studied, with few resources and little formal research.
A Deliberate Healing Journey
- Photography as medicine: Hyper-focus granted by DID lets me “paint” with my camera—each identity shaping composition, light, and narrative.
- AI-enhanced music: Uses artificial intelligence as a compassionate collaborator to translate inner dialogues into lyrics.
- Storytelling with care: I sometimes soften traumatic details to foster universal connection—every song still an authentic chapter of survival, transformation, and hope.
An Evolving Gallery Practice
- Fusion of mediums: Combines subculture storytelling, fine-art photography, and AI-driven music into cohesive exhibitions.
- Living dialogue: Work becomes a conversation between fractured selves, bound by creativity and resilience.
- Next steps: Preparing limited-edition fine-art prints and forging partnerships with galleries and collectors—each piece a testament to the strength found in vulnerability and the voice I’ve finally claimed.
Ignite Collaboration
Commission Fine-Art Prints or Collaboration
Connect with Christopher Wheeler, a Southern California fine-art photographer & AI-powered music artist blending cannabis-culture visuals, gallery-ready prints, and DID-informed healing narratives. For commissions, licensing, limited-edition prints, or gallery partnerships, email me to ignite spaces, spark empathy, and honor resilience.
