Billy Bowling’s passion for photography began as most
photographers do: a hobby.
While working for ABC News in Florida, Bowling
was put in charge of covering sporting events and these
experiences piqued his interest.
“It just kind of took off from there,” Bowling said. “When
I left and moved back to this area, you always hear the
bad stigmas about the area, it is like, it is all drugs, there is
nothing to do, people are leaving constantly and I thought,
‘When you get out and you start seeing some of the things
that the area has to offer, you realize that is not true. There
is so much to see and do.”
Bowling, originally from Tazewell,Va., wants to use his
photography to convey a different image of Appalachia to
the world. “My photography is my way of shining a good
light on this area,” he said. “I don’t even consider it working
hard to help fix it, I just really enjoy what I do. Anytime I
can get my family out with me to do it, it is ten times better.”
Bowling and his wife, Emmy, run their photography
business while raising three children. “We have a pretty
good little clan,” he said.
“I am a local kid that did what everyone typically does,
you leave to go see the world and figure things out on your
own and when I came back to take care of my mom before
she passed away, and, just the stigma of the area that you
get when you move away from here,” Bowling said. “You
tell people that you are from Virginia, bordering on West
Virginia and you start hearing, ‘That is where the drugs are,’
or ‘people don’t have educations,’ ‘if you’re not a coal miner,’
that is the area. When I came back, it kind of sits wrong
with you and you want to do something about it and that is
what I set out to do when I started everything.”
On any given morning, you may find Bowling on the
road, photographing after leaving his home at 2 a.m. to get
those perfect sunrise shots. While “playing around with
photography” in Florida, Bowling discovered his early bird
tendencies and used them to further his photography.
“For the most part, it is easy for me to go out at 3 a.m. and
get some peace and quiet and a good sunrise, I can usually
travel,” Bowling said. “I try to see new stuff all the time.
I do not want to get complacent, shooting the same stuff
repeatedly, so I am just constantly out, trying to explore.”
Bowling and Emmy began photographing together, and
eventually started a business together. The couple shoots
weddings, portraits and more.
“I am self-taught. I think that just came with shooting so
much. I originally worked with Canon Equipment, but I
switched over to Nikon,” Bowling said. “My wife kind of
pushed me toward switching to Nikon. We picked up the
drone and I really like incorporating the drone more. I have
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