An Introduction to The Appalachian Rambler

Hey y'all! It's me, the Appalachian Rambler. I am so happy to announce the beginning of something new, something that's been a goal of mine since I started this whole thing. But first, I feel that I should introduce myself!

My name is Easton Perry. I'm currently a sophomore at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV. I am originally from Ripley, WV, but spend a lot of time in Buckhannon due to my education. While I am a full-time student, this project is truly my passion. Just the fact that you're reading this proves that what started as a little hobby has grown into something much bigger. I'm here to tell my story, in the hope that I'm able to make a difference in my home state.

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Three years ago, I bought my first camera. I originally bought it for casual use and for my mom to use to take pictures at events during my senior year of high school. However, it turned into something much bigger. I started doing portrait photography using my family members as subjects to get some much-needed practice with my new camera. In small town West Virginia, it seemed that lifestyle photographers were the most in demand. Unfortunately, portrait photography did not spark my interest enough, and my camera didn't get much use. After a few months of my camera mostly sitting on my desk at home, I decided to get into sports photography.

I had a few friends that played baseball at my high school, and my sister had just joined the acrobatics and tumbling team at her college. That Christmas I asked my parents for a zoom lens, which was probably the gift I was most excited to unwrap. A few days after Christmas, I was lucky enough to test out my new zoom lens at a professional sporting event (Go big or go home!). These are pictures I still cherish, as most of my favorite players from that time have been moved to other teams. The coming Spring, I took many pictures during sporting events in an effort to perfect my craft. I continued doing some freelance street, portrait, and sports photography throughout my senior year in high school.

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About a month before I moved into my freshman year of college, I was lucky enough to get to travel abroad to Costa Rica and Panama. It was a two-week trip with a group of students from my school, and it really energized me. Seeing the natural beauty of these places was an eye-opening experience. We saw beautiful scenery, participated in recreational activities such as whitewater rafting and zip-lining, and learned about the history of these beautiful countries.

When I got home, the overwhelming experience of that trip really struck me; How is it that I've traveled abroad and seen all these amazing places in other countries, but I haven't even explored the beauty of my own state? It was then and there that I set a goal for myself. I decided that before the four years of my college career are over, I will have visited every WV state park and forest and will never miss out on an opportunity to see the beauty and rich history this state has to offer.

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The week I moved into college, I checked the first state park off of my list. I took my camera on my hike with me, took some pictures, and the rest was history. That was the day I fell in love with landscape photography.

From that day forward, I have truly never missed an opportunity to explore this beautiful state. I have traveled all over, eaten at great restaurants, stayed at amazing resorts, met many people, learned some interesting history, and have loved every minute of it. It is today that I'm announcing the official start of the Appalachian Rambler brand. While I have been showcasing my photography for around 2 years now, I want to do something bigger. My experiences have made me realize that West Virginia has so much more to offer than people realize. We're more than a bunch of hicks and coal miners- we're a community. We have so many amazing people, with fascinating stories to tell. I want to use my platform as a way to change the public perception of the great state of West Virginia, and to truly make a difference. Today I am announcing the start of my blog and my YouTube channel! I am extremely excited to use my platform for good; Together, we will put a good face on West Virginia.

Stay tuned for all of my upcoming content!