For photographer, pictures worth thousands of words

It's a passion that, according to McInnis, began at Christmas 1962.

"In 1962, Santa Claus brought me a camera ... a little Kodak Fiesta camera, and I can still remember the first two photographs that I took," he said. "I saw the world through a lens for the rest of my life, and I didn't realize how much it meant to me until later."

McInnis enjoys photographing a variety of subjects, but says his favorite thing to photograph is people. He recently interviewed and photographed 50 community members for a project celebrating the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's 50th anniversary. The "50 Years, 50 Faces, 50 Stories" project is expected to be released in book form this year.

"I photograph, primarily, by listening, and that's when I start to understand who the person is and then that's what leads my composition and approach."

McInnis is also the author of two nonfiction books. His most recent nonfiction effort, "Daddin: The Verb of Being a Dad," shares stories and insights he's gained while raising his three sons.

You can also catch McInnis hanging around the University of Houston-Clear Lake, where he has served as associate vice president for university advancement for the past 10 years.

McInnis also teaches a number of photography workshops, both in the Houston area and at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Czech Republic.

"The idea is to help people understand who they are, to help them understand how they see the world and then teach them how to use the techniques of photography, to show us how they see the world," he said. "Anybody can take a photograph. You push a button, bingo, you've got a photograph. The question is, 'What do you see?' and 'How do you show me what you see?'"

When he's not performing his duties as the associated vice president for university advancement at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, writing or teaching photography, McInnis enjoys spending time outdoors and has a particular fondness for fishing.

For more information on McInnis, his writing or photography, visit www.dionmcinnis.com. McInnis maintains a motivational blog at www.themoralecoach.com. You can also connect with McInnis on Twitter.

ABOUT Dion McInnis
AGE: 56
OCCUPATION: Associate vice president for university advancement at the University of Houston-Clear Lake; author and photographer
COMMUNITY CONNECTION: League City resident
FAST FACT: McInnis' first nonfiction book, "Listen to Life: Wisdom in Life's Stories," was published in 2005

Megan Mattingly-Arthur is a freelance writer. She can be reached at neighborhood@chron.com.