Anthony Gibson wants to capture memories that last.
"If you have a good picture, it will last 100 years," Gibson said.
Which is exactly why Gibson, project manager in the facility reduction program at the Corps of Engineers, Huntsville Center, spends most of his free time behind the lens, snapping away at life's joys, sorrows, special occasions and sometimes, just the sheer simplicity of it all.
"You never know what kind of situation you'll be in," said Gibson, who always keeps a trusty Nikon nearby just in case the unexpected pops up.
His portfolio is proof of his ability to find the perfect angle or lighting to make even the mundane come alive for the camera. One of those shots is a picture of Alabama A&M University's campus --something many drive by every day -- but with the clouds just right and his angle from a church on a hill, the campus took on a view many don't get to see on a daily basis.
"I understand science and lighting," Gibson said of how his engineering background helps further his photography.
Something he's enjoyed since he was a child, Gibson really pursued his love for photography when he went to work for the Corps of Engineers 28 years ago, and every few years would move to a different city or state.
"I needed a hobby," Gibson said.
So he picked up photography, documenting his own life and travels, as well as the lives of others. From church and work events to weddings, parties, portraits, his Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity activities, and even the Crimson Tide, while Gibson has turned it into a business -- Anthony Gibson Photography -- photography is a passion, not a job.
"Photography is a ministry," Gibson said. "The best feeling in the world is to see someone see my picture and it makes them happy."
Each photo tells a story. There's Nick Saban raising the National Championship trophy in Pasadena, California; the Birmingham skyline, Gibson's hometown; and the view from a volcano in Honolulu, Hawaii, which was a physically and emotionally draining photo to shoot, but one that reminds him of the power of perseverance.
"I kept thinking, 'If I turn around, I will not get this picture,' so I kept on," Gibson said of the mile long climb up the volcano. "I wanted to get this once in a lifetime photo."
While for Gibson there's joy in the picture taking itself, the truly fulfilling aspect about the job is sharing his pictures with others.
"The greatest blessing to me has to be Facebook," he said. "I've been taking pictures for 30 years and only I could see them. Now I have an audience to appreciate my work."
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