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About Me
My name is Michael Merry and I have been taking photos since 2004. I got my first point-and-shoot camera for Christmas in my teenage years and obsessively took pictures of whatever I thought would look cool ever since.
I was fortunate enough to have been raised in the mountains of Southern California where the beautiful views are abundant. The caveat to that is the annual wildfires in result of our ever increasing climate crisis. Having seen the devastating force of fire from a young age, I longed to become a Wildland Firefighter as far back as I can remember.
After leaving the Marine Corps as an Aviation Ordnanceman in 2017, I quickly enrolled in an EMT course at Crafton Hills to pursue my ultimate goal. During that time I was lucky enough to have met a captain from the Big Bear Hotshots, which led to me getting a job with them. Having spent my first year missing incredible photo opportunities I bought myself a Sony a6000 to carry around my neck and capture these brutally beautiful moments.
I left the Forest Service after experiencing some devastating events and seeing enough to know it was my time to be more present in my daughters life. Since then I’ve pursued my photography hobby and sought to share my experiences with other people (and their walls).