I hate getting my picture taken. For as long as I can remember, it has been an ongoing struggle for my dad to snap a quick photo of me doing anything. Up until recently, I never thought about trying to be behind the lens instead of in front of it. My dad visited Beaufort in the summer of 2006 and got me itching to get a camera of my own.

Heading off-base here in South Carolina can be some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. For the past three years I have wanted to stop and capture this gorgeous scene for my wife who loves sunsets, sunrises, and pretty much anything to do with the sky. As it came time to re-enlist in the Marines, I realized that I was at a point in my life where I needed a real camera, not just a point-and-shoot that you can buy from Wal-Mart for $60. So I turned to my dad, Jeff from TheImageGateway.com, for his advice as to which camera to buy. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Now I don’t leave the house without having my camera in my car, the battery charged, and the memory card empty. And for the times when I am driving and don’t have time to stop and snap a quick shot off, Amber is more than willing to take the picture.