You can access some of my work on my Etsy store: GaryMayesPhotography.etsy.com MY STORY...
Almost 50 years ago, I spent the summer working in Yellowstone. Surrounded by the drama of Old Faithful, herds of Bison, and the Grand Tetons to the south, I fell in love with photography through the lens of a pocket-sized instamatic camera. I kept it up as a hobby but never got really serious. Until about
ten years ago, that is. It dawned on me that if I really loved capturing and creating beauty through photography, I needed to get serious about it. If I wanted to have art worth sharing with others, I needed to raise my game. I took classes. I started experimenting. I upgraded equipment. And, I started dreaming about photography as a center-piece of retirement. In January ’23 three things launched me into this new chapter. First, I did retire. Yay. Second, my colleagues sent me off with a pro-level mirrorless camera. Third, I took my wife and my new camera, on our first photography-focused trip: Venice, Italy. I know, tough assignment. However, I landed in Venice fighting bronchitis. I felt lousy. So, I slept in, abandoned my plan for pre-dawn wake-up calls to capture the sunrise. Running a slight fever made the bitterly cold weather painful. The cold killed my thoughts of blue-hour or late night photos. This trip of all trips to kick off my life as a photographer was falling apart. Sure, I schlepped my camera around Venice and I snapped a boatload of pictures. But it wasn’t fun. I felt horrible. I processed my photos when we got home and to my surprise, I found some I really loved. I posted one of them online right away and within an hour had a message from a friend who wanted to buy a copy for their home. It’s hard to explain how deeply that response encouraged me. I was still discouraged by disappointment over all the planned pictures I didn’t take. Yet, I’d succeeded snapping a picture that brought someone else great joy. That moment sealed the deal for me. It’s hard to explain, but sharing images that help people experience more of the beauty all around us is a joy I can hardly put into words. My hope is that my art rekindles memories or stirs people with fresh inspiration. I know there hardships exist all around the world, but there is also beauty to be found everywhere. I hope my photos touch people with a small experience of that beauty. You can obtain prints of my photos in multiple formats through at my Etsy store. My bio includes a link. You can also find me on Instagram as “fotoapprentice.”
Gary
