This is a biography of Mike Disfarmer, the internationally famous portrait photographer from Heber Springs, Arkansas. Disfarmer died in relative obscurity in 1959 at the age of 75 in a small town in Arkansas. His timeless photographs can now be found in photography museums, exhibitions and private collections in the United States, Canada and Europe. Several books have been published containing his thought-provoking and soul-searching photography. He is the subject of a documentary film, a puppet play and the inspiration for music. Despite the volume of work on Disfarmer, many questions have remained unanswered about his life and his photography. This book contains photographs never seen by the public. It lays out documented facts about Disfarmer's life and draws conclusions that fill in gaps and answers many of the lingering questions about his life and photography. The book shows how a confluence of circumstances resulted in his photographic genius.