Steven Randall Poe

1963 - 2024

Steven Randall Poe peacefully passed away at home on September 1, 2024, leaving behind a vibrant legacy in the world of photography and many loving friends and family.

Originally from Bronxville, New York, Steven spent many of his formative years in Brazil, where a gift of a camera during his mid-teens sparked a lifelong passion for photography. At 17, he returned to the United States, balancing full-time work at a camera store with night classes at UNC Charlotte. His unwavering goal was to attend the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography.

Steven's dream came true when he drove his Pontiac Grand Prix across the country to sunny Santa Barbara, California, to attend Brooks. After graduating he worked his way up through the hi-ways and bi-ways of the photography industry: production assistant, darkroom manager, commercials, fine art photography, early time lapse, video, corporate, and then, VR's "first wave" in the late '90s.

His innovative approach to 360 video and virtual reality began with the idea of placing a car on a giant turntable in a controlled environment, aiming for high-quality VR with a scalable business model. Steven's vision led him to shoot all makes and models in North America and Europe, resulting in the world's first automotive VR library with studios in Los Angeles, Bangalore, and Brussels.

More recently, Steven had focused on fine art photography featuring landscapes of Sonoma County and the California Coast. He also experimented with capturing the interconnection of life forms through wisdom-based geometry.

Additionally, Steven often lent his talent in support of his wife's nonprofit work in sustainable cities, in California and internationally, through photo documentation, video, and training materials.

Steven's life was cut short by a rare type of cancer known as Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET). Misdiagnosed initially as having Long Covid (LC), he wanted to encourage those with LC to consider also looking for slow-growing or hard-to-detect cancer as another possible source.

Steven was preceded in death by his father, Thomas A. Poe, and is survived by his wife, Kirstin L. Miller, his mother, Linda B. Poe, and his sister, Deborah L. Poe. No memorial or service is planned, but informal celebrations and remembrances will be happening. As per his wishes, Steven's ashes will be scattered in a cherished old-growth redwood forest in Northern California.

A special thank you to Steven's hospice nurse, Terry, for her invaluable assistance during the final stages of Steven's life. In memory of Steven, donations may be made to Grace Hospice of Missoula County, P.O. Box 212, Clinton, MT 59825.