About Clay…
I was born at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where my father served in the 82nd Airborne Division. After his military service, my family settled in nearby Fayetteville, where I spent most of my life. My heritage is a blend of African American,English, Cherokee, and Louisiana Creole ancestry, and growing up with such a diverse background sparked an early fascination with different cultures, histories, and ways of life.
I began my college education at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where I graduated in 2014 with a degree in Political Science while minoring in German and International Studies. During my time in college, I also competed in cross country and track, experiences that taught me discipline, perseverance, and the value of hard work.
If I'm being honest, I sometimes feel that I wasted money on my degree because I never truly used it professionally. However, college did teach me something equally important: what I did not want to do with my life. More importantly, it provided opportunities that changed me forever. Through study abroad programs, I was able to spend nearly six months traveling throughout Europe, experiencing different cultures, languages, and perspectives that continue to influence me today.
After graduation, my wife and I made a bold decision and moved from North Carolina to Portland, Oregon. The Pacific Northwest was a dramatic contrast to the American South I had always known. During our drive across the country, I became captivated by the immense scale and beauty of the American landscape. The endless plains, towering mountains, and changing scenery revealed just how vast and diverse this country truly is.
When we finally reached Oregon, I encountered landscapes unlike anything I had ever seen before. The lush evergreen forests, rugged coastlines, and snowcapped peaks of the Pacific Northwest left a lasting impression on me. It was there that I purchased my first DSLR camera and began teaching myself photography.
While learning photography, I worked nights delivering newspapers throughout downtown Portland. The schedule allowed me to spend my days exploring, photographing, and developing my skills. I never minded the work because it also gave me access to publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and Investor's Business Daily. Reading those papers each day introduced me to investing and the stock market, interests that would later become an important part of my life.
Those years were not always easy. Pursuing photography while working nights and trying to build a future often felt uncertain. Throughout that time, my wife was the only person who truly believed in me and encouraged me to keep going. When others doubted my decisions or failed to understand what I was trying to accomplish, she stood beside me. Her support gave me the confidence to continue pursuing photography, and I cannot thank her enough for believing in me when no one else did.
A few years ago, my wife and I returned to North Carolina. In recent years, I have devoted more time to investing and trading in the stock market because it has provided greater financial opportunities. However, this website, this blog, and Clay's Lens represent something much deeper. They are my attempt to return to my passion for photography, travel, and exploring the places that often go unnoticed.
I have always been drawn to the road less traveled. Whether it is a forgotten trail, a small town, a quiet mountain overlook, or a destination that rarely appears on travel lists, I believe there is beauty in places that many people overlook.
Through Clay's Lens, I hope to share those places, the stories behind them, and the experiences that have shaped my journey. Thank you for following along.
