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I’ve been holding a camera or working around them since I was twelve-years old, which doesn’t seem that long until I do the math - eighteen years. The second I put my hands on a camera at Christ’s Chapel in Erlanger, KY eighteen years ago, I fell in love with the industry; how movies were made, how commercials were made, how live streaming works, how to manipulate this object to get the outcome I want. I love working with cameras. I’ve done a lot of cool things in that time frame which I won’t go into here, but you would think if you’ve had the opportunity to do cool things, you wouldn’t hate doing it. I have to give you some context. It truly all started in college, specifically junior year, I was around people who made me feel like I was never going to make it in this field - that turned out to be furthest from the truth. After graduating, you generally go in three directions: Film Industry (LA, Atlanta or NY), TV/News production, or start your own LLC. There is a silent fourth direction - abandon the industry and become a financial advisor. I ultimately found myself in the latter. A year after graduating, I was slinging thousands of dollars a day across the teller desk as an associate banker at J.P. Morgan Chase. This is the moment in my life that actually was the steppingstone into one of the greatest jobs I’ve ever had, working full-time for the Kentucky National Guard (KYNG) as a Visual Information Photographer. This job was day in and day out solving creative problems and creating content for the state. I was able to hangout the side of a Blackhawk and photograph C-130s flying over Louisville, KY, Be able to come out with the load out plan produce the first ever KYNG live-stream event using production cameras and video switcher, full rebrand the J6 creative assets to include the logo. I say this because I was having the time of my life! Without throwing anyone under the bus, this came crashing down under a new boss and I made the decision to leave my favorite job. For some reason, I have ability to land on my feet after what feels like rock bottom. I started my production company, the website you’re reading this on, out of fear to be completely honest with you. This next part of the story is the greatest thing I’ve accomplished but the sad part is, I accomplished this feat all while hating the creative industry. I was on my way to McDonalds as I see a Facebook post from Harry Hunsucker, a local MMA black belt instructor, announcing he signed a contract with the UFC. I immediately text a Josh Atanovich, friend, military mentor and fellow creative. I don’t remember the exact message but it was something like “Wanna film a documentary about a UFC fighter and charge nothing?” and Josh responded quickly with something like “Yes! 100%”. For the next fifteen-months we filmed nearly 2-3 days a week on average, to include flying out to Vegas for his second to last fight on that contract. Long story short, we finished the documentary, premiered it to roughly 200 people in one the largest auditoriums at Eastern Kentucky University and licensed the film to streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Tubi, Roku TV, and Local Now. By every measurement, I should have been happy, but I wasn’t. It’s taken me roughly three years to find that spark again. That must seem odd if you know me since I run a profitable media company with two studio locations in two different states. I say all of this more for me than you but maybe this will help you find the love again for your what you do. How did I fall in love again? Well - I’d tell you if I actually knew. The time I realized the spark was back when I bought a cheap DSLR to start taking photos for fun again, zero expectation of making money or having a deliverable to a client, this flipped a switch in my brain to create for me again. To wrap up this overly long story, start doing what you love for you with no end-user in mind; provide value, be creative and don’t give a shit what others might think. Hope this helps… Dream. Create. Inspire.

@CoachRyanKY LEXINGTON- We’ve all heard the song, penned by one of the most prominent modern Kentuckians. While I don’t think Kentucky Wildcats football will push you to hardcore opioid abuse as mentioned in the song, I keep thinking of the song’s title when it comes to the 2025 season. Look, I’m no stranger to this, I get it. It’s summer time! We should all collectively be grilling burgers, blaring patriotic music, enjoying the late sunsets, and sipping on an ice cold beverage pool side. However, we’d be pretending if we weren’t counting down the days until it is football time in the bluegrass. Here we are, under a month left in the season, and there’s a pit in your stomach that you can’t seem to shake. We remember those words, “We are going to be a better football team”, uttered by Mark Stoops in the Spring when doubt seemed to be at an all-time high. We can put a dress on last year’s season, but it doesn’t change the fact it was uglier than a muddy, three-legged pig wearing lipstick. It was almost like the Offensive Line had an allergy to tackling and that Kentucky’s coaches were unaware that forward passing has been legal in football for over a century. “Oh, but Stoops is motivated” one might say. The other ugly truth is that tenured Kentucky fans know that motivation doesn’t win football games. There are questions up-and-down the roster. Will it be Boley or Calzada’s team? Will the new offensive linemen take their medicine and lay the lumber in the trenches? Running Back? Good luck figuring that one out. Could the Wildcats surprise us in 2025? Unlikely. There are far too many question marks, unprovens, and talent discrepancies compared to the juggernaut’s awaiting Stoops and company. “Daddy I’ve been tired, I just can’t catch a break.” Tyler Childers, Nose on the Grindstone (hopefully not an omen to this season  Like my work? Follow me on X @CoachRyanKY Ryan D. Hoots Untd We Stnd, Sports Director