All About
"SnapShotWillie"
(or at least the short version!)
First of all, let's get the mystery of the name of the website out of the way. Several years back, as my photos began to sale (at least to friends and family, but we'll count them as official "sales" none-the-less), a dear friend of mine told me that I should have a website to promote my photography. As many before me, I thought it was going to be an easy thing to do - that was until I had to come up with an official web address (a URL, as it were). Well, since I'm in a wheelchair (more on that later) and my students (yeah, more on that later too) loved to see me do "wheelies," I figured "photography" went good with "snapshot" and alas the name was born.... oh, right, you may have noticed that the website's name isn't "snapshotwheelie" - but trust me, it was suppose to be. When I had someone purchase the domain name for me, that's what I told them, but since I was talking to a man born and raised in the Northern part of this great nation and I having been raised in the Southern portion (of the same great nation), there seemed to be somewhat of a communication breakdown and he thought I said "Willie" - as in a name (of course, he even spelled that wrong, since it should have been "Willy" - but we're neither English majors, so I guess it really didn't matter). And since this Northern gentleman didn't know me personally (in other words, he didn't know about the wheelchair), it made perfect since to him. Alas, that is how the website became known as "snapshotwillie.com" instead of my original intent "snapshotwheelie.com." And as many things in history have been a result of little variations or alterations (intentional or not), the name stuck.
My real name (depending on whom you speak to, of course) is Michael N. Gehm. Yes, a shocker - especially if you were expecting the name of the site to make some sense (as my name actually being "Willie" or "Willy"). Now, if you are reading this and thinking all of this is just too funny - wait, there's more! I really am in a wheelchair!! Ok, you're thinking, "that's not funny," but it really is when you think of it in the larger scale of things. I had a tragic accident while serving in the United States Navy in 1990. To make a long story short - I FALL DOWN (really far!) and my body sang the Rice Crispy Song ("Snap, Crackle, Pop!"). Ok, let's jump forward (you didn't click the "About" link to read my life story!).
Now, before I tell you the next part, you may want to be sitting down (like me - well, not exactly like me, for I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but you know what I mean). My main profession isn't a photographer (ok, if you don't like my work, you may actually have guessed that....), instead I'm a HISTORY teacher. Yeah, life can't get any stranger than that, now can it? So you may be wondering how I went from a degree in history to photography - you must be wondering a least a little!
I have always had a passion for history. My goal for my life was to stay in the Navy until they got tired of me and booted me out. Lesson 1: Life has a funny way of not exactly cooperating with your own desires or plans...learn to adjust. After my accident I went back to school and got my teaching degree in history. My accident really caused me to refocus my life in more ways than I can mention. Photography for me has become a way for me to see things from different viewpoints - different angles; a different light. Just as my accident caused me to refocus my life, photography has allowed me to "see" things I took for granted so many times before. Lesson 2: Cherish every single second of your life - you never known what's going to be thrown at you next - it could be life-altering; rather you want it to be or not.
So, that's the short version of "SnapShotWillie" and how I ended up taking up photography. Actually, it can of took me up, but that's a different story all together. I have been greatly blessed with a VERY supportive family; a wife that loves me and children that have brought me happiness. I always have to give full credit to a God that has loved me, despite my foolishness and oh, man, so many of my silly mistakes, and yet continues to embrace me and call me one of His own. Without that, I have no clue where I'd be.
I hope that you like my work. Feel free to contact me and if you feel like telling me what's wrong with it, I'd be more than happy to hear from you. May God Bless you and your family - forever and always.
Michael N. Gehm