Not being one to boast This space is where I struggle the most. A camera in hand most of my life My dad introduced me to my way of life. Twenty years I spent chasing planes The smell of Jet-A still fills my veins. Being displaced in twenty and twelve Ramp life was over without a big farewell. The way of life my dad instilled I’m chasing a dream with frames to fill. I now use my camera instead of my back A living that most would be glad to have. I’m not rich my bank account says But it’s the lie this big world spins and gives. I’ve had time with my daughters Most men don’t get. For that -I’m forever grateful for that pink slip. Each picture I take means something to me Maybe it’s the hike that you didn’t see. The early morning fog to late setting sun When I land the shot, God says I’ve won. With my heart on my sleeve I’m an emotional guy. Talking about my family Brings a tear to my eye. I want my girls to see that I tried And it’s a hustle that keeps a dream alive. I’ve shared with you a little about me But there is so much more that makes me unique. I’ve learned in Honky Tonks along life’s way But still very thankful for the pew on which I was raised. Music chords hit us and take us right back Lifelong memories from a fleeting fading past. I want my photos to compare to those riffs A simple image that carries you off somewhere.
Complete Gear List-
Favorites:
Music
American Aquarium
🤘🏼
Author | Book
“Remember when the majority of people’s opinions were trapped within the walls of their living rooms?
I miss that. I miss that sort of silence.”
-David Joy
OPALE | LEEMAGE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
“David Joy is the author of the Edgar nominated novel Where All Light Tends to Go (Putnam, 2015), as well as the novels The Weight Of This World (Putnam, 2017), The Line That Held Us (Putnam, 2018), and When These Mountains Burn (Putnam, 2020). His memoir, Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey (Bright Mountain Books, 2011), was a finalist for the Reed Environmental Writing Award and the Ragan Old North State Award for Creative Nonfiction. His latest stories and essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Garden & Gun, and The Bitter Southerner. He is the recipient of an artist fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council. His work is represented by Julia Kenny of Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency. He lives in Jackson County, North Carolina.” –goodreads
Podcast
Movie
“Coal mines your life -it’s not mine.
I’m never goin’ down there again.
I wanna go into space.”
-Homer Hickam
I was born and raised in the foothills of App-Uh-Latch-Uh in Huntington WV. Twenty-five years prior to my arrival, Homer and Elsie Hickam welcomed their son Homer Jr. into the world in the small West Virginia town of Coalwood. Homer Sr. wanted nothing more than for his son to follow his path down into earth’s dark shaft. As Homer Jr watched Sputnick orbit the heavens above the earth -he knew then he would break his father’s heart.
October Sky is truly one of the most underrated movies of all time and stands at the top of the list of one of my favorites.
TV
Stranger Things
-Raise Your Hands 🙌🏼
My 15-year-old daughter suggested I watch the Netflix series Stranger Things. If it is something that brings us together in conversation -I’m in!
I will say this -entirely out of my wheelhouse!
The cinematography in this series is flat-out, mind-bending, and probably the best I’ve seen. The storyline will keep you right at the edge of your seat and for me, it was the grain, the tones, and the vintage vibe of 80’s film as it rolled. No matter the scene -the skin tones remain spot on and as the locations change to the darkness of the storyline so do the tones. The series was filmed on a RED camera with Leica lenses and used one LUT (Look Up Table).
The second thing that held my attention was the era and all it included. Small-town Indiana is a near-perfect match to my high school years in South Point OH. The clothing, the music, the cars, the mall, all of it! It’s like watching my high school years unfold before me in a way I couldn’t see back then. My daughter has gotten a few laughs as I’ve shared memories that have been sparked.
Why fit in when you were born to stand out?
-Dr. Seuss