Introducing Colby

I met Thom Stevenson last summer through Cancer Support Community of Central Ohio, and it was this instant click of oh, there you are. Our friendship has blossomed since then, to the point that when one of calls the other and says, hey, wanna do a thing? The answer is invariably, Yes.  When and where do I need to be?

Thom is a professor in the Patton College of Education at Ohio University, teaching classes in restaurant operations, intro to food production, and the senior capstone class, so when he called and asked if I wanted a summer intern, my answer was immediate.

Yes. Yes I do.

I’d had met Colby earlier this spring when Thom brought one of his classes up to Columbus for a field trip to any of a variety of Columbus food facilities, and we talked that day about getting together to shoot, so when I found out that the intern that would be spending the summer working alongside of me was Colby, I was thrilled.

Without any further ado, meet Colby C Caldwell.

 

Hello! My name is Colby, like the cheese, Caldwell. That’s right, C.O.L.B.Y. Like the cheese.

Writing an “about me” is probably one of the worst things as a person you have to do. You have to sit down and dive deep inside yourself in order to show the world who you want them to see. And harder yet, you have to do it largely with words.

I’m a visual person. I’m not a big fan of writing or speaking (sometimes) a sentence to save my life. I can tell you just about anything and odds are, you’ll believe it. Why? “because you read it on the Internet.”

I can tell you just about anything and odds are, you’ll believe it.

I love to go to the gym, you’ll see me at the bars every night and I love cats like no body’s business.

All that? Damned lies.

It’s so easy to fall prey to false information on the internet. A photo doesn’t tell the whole story and a being a headline doesn’t make it true. I want to write a blog with the intentions of being real and authentic with my readers.

I’m a wannabe city boy who grew up in the country, surrounded by a family of truckers and farmers

I’m from a small town in Southeastern Ohio where the grass may seem a little greener but the hills – a little steeper. I won’t start all the way back at the beginning, but I’ll sum it by saying I grew up a gay male in conservative Gallia County. I’ve learned to see the world A LOT differently than your average Appalachian, having to tiptoe everyday through the mine fields of bullies, ignorant comments, and religious persecution.

I’m a wannabe city boy who grew up in the country, surrounded by a family of truckers and farmers, and I’ve never had the desire to get down and dirty on the farm or in the garage. No, I don’t want to plant tobacco or feed your cows and I’d rather not crawl look under the 3 ton semi. Thanks, but no thanks. I love my family, don’t get me wrong, but this apple fell far from the farmer’s tree.

I want to travel and see the world outside of small-town Ohio, meet other passionate people, take photos of good food and pet all of the dogs along the way. I live my life seeking authentic interactions, big and/or small adventures, phenomenal food and lots of it.

Currently a student at Ohio University in Athens,  Ohio, I study Commercial Photography and Restaurant, Hotel and Tourism. I began photographing portraits and weddings but soon found I had a passion for food and how it should be portrayed. Sure, I could take a standard portrait. But I’d rather take a portrait of you and cover you in your favorite food. Nothing will make you smile more than when you have half a pizza on your face. Trust me. 

I like to think outside of the pizza box by creating surreal and whimsical photos – something you’d only see in Wonderland.