People Make the Difference…

The morning sun sets the mists afire in the mountains of southeast Alaska.

As you all know, I am not long home from an amazing trip to Alaska. The things that I saw and experienced there will never be forgotten. They are, like so many other things, massive building blocks that continue to construct the foundation of who I am and what I do.

Completely changing your life, at any point really, is an incredible undertaking. A hugely transformative process that lays bare one’s emotions in a way that nothing else can. I have taken great care to soak in my successes and grow from my failures.

Fortunately for me, I stand on the shoulders of some particularly phenomenal giants. One of the greatest realizations of this journey so far is that with all of the growth and success I have achieved, I have also gained more mentors, friends, and colleagues that help push the bar even higher for me. It’s been fantastic!

“We’re better together” has come to be my motto, and for good reason. Today I want to send a massive and heartfelt thank you to the folks, and one person in particular, at Allen’s Camera. As I was preparing for my trip to Alaska, I mentioned to my boss Kevin Loughlin that it would be great to take the new Canon 6D Mark ii for a test drive. I wanted to see how it would handle wildlife photography, as it is designed more for portraiture and landscape work. When I arrived the day before we flew out, we made a trip over to Allen’s where he introduced me to Brandon Leichter.

This Brown Bear came out of the trees to see what I was up to.

Allen’s Camera has a fairly unassuming storefront, in a small town setting, however those are the only “normal” things about the shop. As I stepped inside, I was treated to the sights and sounds of an outstanding camera shop, with full arrays of camera bodies and lenses from every manufacturer. I felt like a child in a candy store! Their staff were all knowledgeable and courteous, gladly handing me anything and everything that I wanted to see. Not long after, I was introduced to Brandon Leichter, the owner of the shop. Young and enthusiastic, I found it refreshing to talk photography with him and Kevin.

As our conversation came to an end, Brandon handed me a brand new Canon 6D Mark ii, and told me to bring back some fantastic images from Alaska. I could do nothing but nod my head and agree. Stunned by his generosity, I strode confidently out of the camera store, excited for all of the possibilities that awaited me in Alaska.

There will be more blogs to come detailing my amazing experiences in Alaska, and many more photographs. For now, though, I would like to extend a very special thank you to Brandon, and everyone else at Allen’s Camera. I have never felt more at home in a camera shop, nor have I ever been on the receiving end of more generosity. These are things I will never forget.

As you make your way through this blog, I hope you will take but a moment or two to think on the people in your lives that have encouraged your growth and empowered you to become the person you are. Without these relationships, where would we be? Afterwards, perhaps think on those that look up to you. Those that you could yourself empower and then ask yourself, what have you done for them? I am beyond grateful to have the ability to look both ways. To ask for help when I need it, and give help freely when asked. It has become a cornerstone in my life.

A pod of Killer Whales swims along the rugged coast of southeast Alaska.

I would never direct any of my readers to anyone or anything that I do not fully support myself. I would like to end this blog post by speaking a little more on Allen’s Camera. They have an outstanding website that is easy to navigate, with top notch prices I might add! Their staff are quite friendly and professional, providing excellent customer service. Brandon is a delightful person that is always willing to chat and assist folks with anything that they might need. In short, I enjoy spending my money at small businesses that offer great services, and Allen’s Camera will be getting all of my business as I journey into the next chapter of my photography career. I will leave their store information below for easy access, but I encourage you all to visit the website and see what this great store has to offer.

As always, thanks to all of you for giving me your time and reading my words. You all provide me with a strong sense of purpose, and for that, I am eternally thankful. Enjoy this last photograph from Alaska as a parting “gift” from me, with my sincere wishes that you have a great weekend! Until next time!

A Humpback Whale breaches in early morning light.

Allen’s Camera

4401 New Falls Rd, Levittown, PA 19056

(215) 547-2841

Check Out Their Social Media Here!!!

https://www.facebook.com/CameraShopAllens/?ref=br_rs

https://www.instagram.com/allenscamera/

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