KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Memories captured forever: the most vibrant sunset, the moment a flower fully blooms, the split second she finally smiles at the camera. It’s what one budding photographer from Nebraska yearns to capture in his photos.
“You know, I think they’re excellent, but I’m real biased, there’s no question about that,” said Craig Madson, Chad’s father. Chad has cerebral palsy.
Craig sells his son’s photos to strangers, many who may never suspect who snapped those perfect moments.
Chad’s condition physically it limits him, but in his soul, there are no limits.
“I never let my disability get in my way,” Chad said.
Chad expressed an interest in photography years ago when he got a camera attachment to go on the computer that helps him speak. He slowly moved up to a high-tech system.
“We had a welder make the attachment where the laptop normally fits, so it’ll hold that tripod,” said Craig.
Once the camera is attached, Chad takes the lead. He meticulously adjusts the zoom, the level and the exact angle until at last the “still memory” is forever captured.
“I call my photography still memories, as I remember certain things from each shot, therefore I never do heavy editing to my photos,” said Chad.
It’s Chad’s hobby, something that’s all his.
“Whenever you can do something that’s just yours, it just makes it that much better,” he said.
Craig helps when he needs to, but for the most part, Chad’s on his own, and his independent hobby has lead to some sales.
“He’s got a family in Lincoln that has a condominium in downtown that bought five of his photos for their living room, never met them before,” Craig explained.
But mostly capturing the best moments has helped Chad capture his own happiest memories — meeting new friends, seeing new places and proving every day in his world is a special one.
See more of Chad’s work in the links below.
Meadowlark Coffee
Find Chad on Facebook
