Looking Back through the Lens of My Life: Experiences become the Path

Growing up, Gary Porter’s parents advised him to keep his options open. He attended college in Wisconsin without really thinking about what came next. The need to support his growing family forced him to take a series of odd jobs--repairing electric motors, operating an “air-curtain destructor,” working in a foundry. One job led him to Canada and to study photography at Ryerson University in Toronto.

Upon moving back to Wisconsin, he bought a little camera shop and studio, which he ran with his wife. Eventually, as the industry changed, Porter moved on, carrying his camera with him. Eight years at the Janesville Gazette finally landed him a paid position as a photojournalist at the Milwaukee Journal, which Porter sees now was the Dream Job at the end of a winding, often unclear, path.

Many awards, including the industry’s top accolade, and the respect of his colleagues allowed Porter to retire with contentment from the newspaper world in 2014. He now finds himself sharing advice similar to that his parents gave him: Keep an open mind: A fulfilling career is possible, even if it isn’t self-evident from the beginning.