I have been active in the outdoors all of my life, pursuing interests such as hiking, backpacking, skiing, fly fishing, bow hunting, mountain biking, and road cycling. My latest hobby involves running ultramarathon races through the mountains. I have been doing that since 2007 and have completed 9 100 milers, and a couple dozen events in the 30-50 mile range. Through it all, I have always been a p
icture-taker. My greatest influence in that arena was my dad. While I never remember him going to any great lengths to shoot landscapes, portraits, and the like, he was always present with a camera, documenting our lives growing up. It is thanks to him that we have a bounty of treasured family photographs and their associated happy memories. I took some photography classes in high school and remember spending many hours developing black and white film while listening to just-released "Joshua Tree" album by U2. I think more than anything, those courses gave me a solid understanding of composition that continues to serve me now. I purchased my first digital camera in 1998. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, after getting over the $400 sticker shock. It used 4 AA batteries that seemed to last for about 20 shots, and had something like 4MB of storage. That camera met with an early demise as some rechargeable batteries I used in an effort to lower operating costs leaked acid all over the inside and ruined it. I was hooked, though. From that time on, I always had a camera and documented my kids lives in much the same way my dad did with his kids. Over the past few years, I have shifted my thinking to that of being a photographer instead of someone that likes taking pictures. The pursuit of photography has been an immensely satisfying process and is a good fit for my personality. I am a technical person with a career in the computer industry, but I also posses a strong creative side that is always wanting to be fed. To me, photography is the perfect blend of science and art. It feeds my soul and teaches me new things about our world. Get outside, move, observe, breathe, sweat, feel. These are my most basic needs. Chris Boyack
Roxborough Village resident since 1998
