On February 13, 2010, I married him.
Leland Patrick Holder is one of the most unique individuals you will ever meet. He is an extrovert. I think he could make friends with a rock. He has a huge, sensitive heart. His sense of humor keeps people laughing. He talks a lot, but he knows when it's time to be quiet and listen. He is a giver. He loves BIG, and he loves unconditionally.
He is flawed, as anyone who knows him well will agree, with a smile. He swears too much. He can be judgmental. He's addicted to coffee. He's easily distracted and forgetful. He falls asleep, face planted on the desk in front of the computer, while processing photos.
And I love him.
Leland is an artist; a professional photographer.
He'll shoot nature at every opportunity, this place being one of my favorites.
Kravica Falls, Bosnia-Herzegovina
He loves to shoot photographs of people, capturing that split second in time when a look tells a story.
Gypsy woman begging on the streets of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina
He looks through the lens with his heart; a heart for people and the beauty of God's creation, and a heart for the God who has loved him throughout his life's many twists and turns, ups and downs. When he photographs, he prays to see his subjects as God sees them.
In his 20s, Leland had a job that a lot of people would envy, working for Florida Power and Light. He earned a nice salary. He was house hunting and thinking about settling down into a life of the daily grind, white picket fences, marriage, and children.
And then he quit.
He had a dream. Florida Power and Light, white picket fences, and anything resembling status quo were not in it. This young man with a rebellious, adventurous spirit who had grown up on the east coast of Florida surfing, spear fishing, and diving, packed up his van and hit the road for the Western US. He followed his heart, traveling from one state to another, taking pictures, experiencing life, and just being.
In this video (please excuse the quality, or lack thereof, my unnecessary commentary, and sudden outburst over the raindrops falling on the equipment), Leland briefly tells of his journey to becoming a professional photographer. It was spontaneously shot while Leland was giving me a lesson on the technicals of photography. I never really meant for it to do anything but sit in my video folder, but I think his story of breaking out and following his passion needed to be told. Enjoy!
Leland's website & galleries
And, even though he loves people, he has no time for social media (I attempt to manage it for him):
Twitter: @LelandHolder
Absolutely loved this post! That's the Leland we know and love!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tracy! I can write about him all day, but you have to see him to get the picture!
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