BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Freelance photographer Andrew Gess has a distinct impulse to document Appalachia. On Thursday, he shared the story of his journey in photography at the Kiwanis luncheon in Inez.
From the time he was 9-10 years old, Gess had the desire to shoot pictures. His first professional experience was while promoting dog shows. These days, his photography has him documenting Martin County.
Gess grew up on the Tug River south of Lovely. He worked in coal mining and built race cars but realized his true calling was photography.
“My dad always told me growing up, ‘Find what you love doing and find a way to help others with it,’” Gess said.
Showing his photography equipment, he added, “A lot of people think photography is just pushing the button and letting the camera do the work, but there’s a lot to it. You’re always learning.”
Gess struggled during the first few years to pay his rent.
“I ate a lot of bologna sandwiches,” he said.
However, photography began to look like a career when a friend with a print shop in Huntington convinced him to have prints made. He has been selling prints of his pictures ever since and has them in every state except New Mexico.
“I’m going to find someone in New Mexico and make that offer,” he chuckled. “Even if I have to give it to them.”
Gess does any kind of photography a person needs, from family portraits to pets and landscapes. Recently, he commissioned work for Martin County government agencies to promote tourism and downtown rejuvenation. One of his recent projects is displayed on the outside wall of the former jailhouse in Inez. He also has prints hanging in the Martin County Judge/Executive’s office.
“I drive by and think, ‘It’s bigger than me,’” said Gess.
One of the photographer’s favorite subjects is the wild elk in the area. He also likes shooting waterfalls and other natural scenery.
“It gives me joy that my perspective can take someone else on a journey,” said Gess.
Photography recently led him to a new adventure in drone photography.
“That’s a whole new world,” said Gess, adding that he had crashed his drone two times at the cost of $1,000 each but had since invested in an insurance plan.
Gess mentioned his surprise at the attention that a drone video of a coal truck traveling through Warfield received.
“We used to dodge those things growing up on 292. They would spill coal out the sides, and we would have free house coal forever,” he remarked.
Gess is mostly self-taught but credits photographer/teacher Mary Reed Runyon of Pike County for helping him learn his camera.
He hopes for “huge success, making a ton of money and doing great things” with his photography.
“I really want to be able to tell my story of my people—of Appalachia,” he commented. “I am not an outsider. I’ve crawled in the coal mines and breathed the dust …and future generations are going to have evidence. That’s my biggest project.”
Look Gess up on aceimages.net or follow him on Facebook to see his latest projects.