A long time ago in a tiny rural community on the edge of civilization in Northern Michigan, there was this kid, a slightly athletic mechanical nerd who loved cars and music.
As soon as I got a car when I was 16, I was singing my lungs out everywhere I drove. Maybe I was decent, maybe I wasn't, who can be sure anymore. But the singing didn't stop onec I got out of the car. Some friends and I decided to sing some Backstreet Boys for the talent show at church camp, which became an ongoing tradition year after year so I've heard.
Around that same time, my friends back home in school and I started playing around with some instruments in a basement, what happened next was R Choice.
Don't judge me.
Well that was all well and good for the time being, but then I graduated and moved away to Columbus, OH, where being out on my own, I made many poor decisions and spontaneous purchases, one being my first digital camera, a brick-shaped 1.3 Megapixel piece of crap that I took everywhere. I became familiar with the concept of digital photo manipulation, but I wasn't very good at it. Despite this, I had dreams of one day becoming a photoshop Jedi.
After 2 semesters at DeVry University, I decided that computer engineering wasn't going to be my thing, and so I shifted my major to mechanical engineering and set off for the fabled city of Grand Rapids.
My first impression of the campus at GRCC was that it was set up and styled after some 90's era FPS video game.
Every night I walked home amidst the historic beauty of the Heritage Hill district admiring the architecture and design.
I often gazed up at the sky wondering what was to be my future, and where I was going to go with my life.
One night while I was sitting in my apartment beating myself in Euchre, an idea stuck me. In order to take amazing pictures, I must buy an amazing camera.
The cheapest way I could think of to acquire said camera was to get a job at a nearby camera store, selling cameras and developing film.
After months of saving and planning, a wonderful employee purchasing program came out with the brand new Canon 30D, so I took advantage, filled out my order form and waited for it to arrive.
It was glorious, I marveled at its beauty and craftsmanship, but though hey, I didn't buy this to admire it, I bought it to take beautiful pictures! So I set off into the city to see what I could capture.
I wandered through nature to see what vivid colors would catch my eye,
I even took pictures without leaving the comfort of my couch.
One day while I was changing chemicals in the film processor I got to thinking, what if I were to combine my passions?
I drove as fast as I could (and as fast as legally allowable, maybe,) I had a destination in mind and I didn't want to be late.
The journey took me through the rolling countryside, when finally, just over the horizon I could see my future.
The 3000GT/Stealth National Gathering
Where a gathering of friends from across the nation collected to compete in all sorts of racing and show of their cars and enjoy the company of other motor-crazed eenthusiasts.
There were other cars there too.
And I found I was not the only one with a passion for photography.
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