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"In the campfire you will see the yellow of the rising sun, the green of the grass, the blue of the sky, the bronze of the noon day sun, the red of the setting sun, the white of the moon, and the black of the night." -Gene Boaz |
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Many kind and wonderful words have been attributed to Gene Boaz, but one seems to resound. Gentle. Whether he was lifting the broken wing of an injured red-tailed hawk, stepping on the ice crusted snow to get the right angle of the howling wolf, or lightly tilting the head of a child in order to capture that precious look of innocence, Gene Boaz was a gentle spirit. As he served his country, Gene discovered his passion in the strange, alien land of Vietnam. The discovery could have been in the misty fog lifting gently from the paddy fields, the cloud shrouded mountains or the confused, bewildered faces of the children that instilled in him the passion for photography. He knew he must record the beauty and tragedy around him for those who follow. Returning home in 1968, Gene put down the weapons and picked up a camera. In the garage of his parent's home, he began the journey which he would be on the rest of his life. As the business grew, Gene became renowned in his field. Along the way, Gene had his work published in Audubon, National Wildlife, Reader's Digest, Smithsonian Field Guides, National Geographic Guides and Time-Life Books, plus others. As time passed, the business became a family business with different members contributing when needed. Gene was associated with the Boy Scouts of America for 41 years serving on the Shawnee Trails Council. Gene was awarded Best of Show for the 1993 Nature Calendars awarded by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Jamestown, NY, one of the most prestigious awards given in photography. He was also honored as a Professional Photographers Association Master Photographer. He was recognized by his peers as one of the best portrait and nature photographers in America. His journey was cut short on September 30, 1999 as he lost his battle with cancer. As in the past, the family took up the challenge and is carrying on the family owned business. The success of Gene Boaz Photography for thirty-nine years has made it one of the oldest and most respected businesses in the area. Gene is remembered by many for his talent and gentle spirit. The man Gene Boaz is missed my many. *The Land Between the Lakes is organizing a photography contest in memory of Gene Boaz. For more information, visit http://www.lblphotocontest.org/ |
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