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meet, "charlesboyer" | the golo profiles

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If you enjoy perusing the GOLO image galleries you’ve surely come across the work of the talented Mr. Boyer. We all know him as Charlesboyer, and believe it or not, his photography is NOT what pays the bills. Find out where he got his first camera and how he keeps a positive outlook on life. Meet, Charlesboyer.

Angela: Why are your pictures so fabulous?

Charlesboyer: I’ve been a photographer since I was 7-years-old. That’s over 40 years. I always emulated other photographers that I thought were really good. I went through my Ansel Adams phase…

I’ve always had a graphical eye. I use my technical skills to get it to look right.

Angela: So, photography is definitely an art, not a science?

Charlesboyer: Absolutely, because art is composition and execution at it’s most basic. You have to be able to compose a photograph to execute it.

If a painter uses a certain method to attain the painting that they want, then with a photograph you have to do the same thing. Technically make it the way you want it. It’s partly a science but definitely an art.

Angela: You were 7? How did you know what you wanted to do at such an early age?  

Charlesboyer: Well, I saved up lollipop wrappers to earn enough money for a camera. If you sent in 25 dum-dum wrappers and a dollar you could get a Kodak Brownie.

Angela: How long did it take to save the wrappers?

Charlesboyer: Probably about 6 months.

Angela: Do you remember mailing them off?

Charlesboyer: Oh yeah. I mailed them off right before the launch of Apollo 11.

My dad took me on a tour of the launch pad of Apollo 11 when I was 7–almost 8.

Angela: Is that your main job? Taking pictures?  

Charlesboyer: No, my main job is running a portion of a huge corporate network and I create and operate their websites for them.

Angela: What? You mean you didn’t want to be a starving artist?

Charlesboyer: No. My wife is in advertising and she has forbidden me from going into it full–time because there is no money in it.

Angela: Smart woman

Charlesboyer: Oh she is, except for being stupid enough to marry me..

(We laugh)

Angela: How long have you been married?

Charlesboyer: Six years, but we say 60,

Angela: What keeps you on GOLO?

Charlesboyer: There’s a lot of interesting people there with different points of view and at different places in life. It’s fun to read about their experiences and share my own with them.

Angela: Who are some of your favorites?

Charlesboyer: I should have brought a list. There are some real cool people on there.

Dayum Sessy. You, of course. Iteechteens. Oh, let’s see, Yogi…. Historians is real cool and too many to mention. Like,  IDon’tCare…

Angela: How do you come up with your blog topics?

Charlesboyer: I’m not one to get into the shenanigans. I just use GOLO as an outlet to share things that are interesting that don’t fit into some of my other online activities.

Angela: Sounds intriguing. Tell me more about these “online activities.”

Charlesboyer: Well I run The Red and White from State and I’m the technical lead for StateFans Nation.

Angela: Well, I’m just glad you grace us with your presence!

Charlesboyer: HA! It ain’t all that…

(We both laugh)

Angela: What would you do if money were no object?

Charlesboyer: I’d travel constantly.

Angela: You travel now.

Charlesboyer: I don’t do it enough. I was lucky that in my younger days I had a job that afforded me a lot of opportunities to go a lot of places.

But when you travel for business you can’t do all the fun stuff.  

I’d like to go to New Zealand and Antarctica…

Angela: That sounds like an awesome trip.

Charlesboyer: It will be.

Angela: I like that. “Positive thinking.”

Is it easy to stay positive if you’re around negative people?

Charlesboyer: No. I think people get caught up in negativity and negativity feeds more negativity and it’s like getting sucked down a drain. I know. I’ve had to pull myself out of it.

Angela: How do you stay positive?

Charlesboyer: I focus on the fact that relative to most people in the world I really have it good.

There are folks for instance in Africa who can’t feed their children no matter what they do. But I’m luckier than they are and I realize that.

Angela: So maybe we need to focus on what we have as opposed to what we lack?

Charlesboyer: I think America is a country obsessed with what they’re NOT. We always want a newer car, a bigger house. You’ll never feel content if you live that way. Things come and go.  At the end of the day it’s your friends and your family that lasts.

Angela: Angela: Awwwww, so sentimental.

Charlesboyer: Well it’s true.

Angela: Tell me something you’ve done that’s scandalous..

Charlesboyer: Well, okay. I ummmm was on the committee for Untied Way about three years ago and they decided they were going to put on a drag show.

So my wife came over here and proceeded to put me in a mini skirt, high heels, a wig and makeup.  And false eyelashes. So I go sashaying down the hall and get on this stage and start singing a song.

Angela: Oh. My. God.

Charlesboyer: Everyone in the audience goes “Who’s that?”

So from then on a lot of my friends and coworkers tell me: “You have the prettiest legs.”

Angela: Yeah, that’s pretty scandalous. Are there pictures?

Charlesboyer: Oh yeah… Not to mention my wife still finds it hilarious.

Charlesboyer: I hope it would be to leave the world a better place.

Angela: In drag?

Charlesboyer: (Laughs hysterically) No!!  

But hey I’ll wear a skirt if it makes a kids life a little better, but I won’t do it as a hobby. Too much work goes into being a female.

Angela: You got that right. Well, it’s been fun Charles….

Charlesboyer: Alright…I’ll find those pictures and send you one.

Angela: AND HE DID!!!