VisionMining founder Steve Gottlieb is a nationally recognized photographer—all images on this website are his—as well as founder and director of a photography school. (Earlier in his career, he was an attorney and senior corporate manager.) In a class he teaches called "Creative Vision"—attended by people from all walks of life—he has observed that after just a few hours of instruction many participants have become demonstrably more creative, open-minded, focused, enthusiastic, and mutually supportive.

Steve recognized that these positive outcomes could be translated to the workplace by using the camera as a metaphorical tool. Photography has the power to enable people to see, think and work in new ways without triggering their natural resistance to change. VisionMining was born when Steve adapted his "Creative Vision” photography concepts, approaches and exercises to programs that help executives, managers and others "unfreeze" their minds and move in fresh directions.