Limb deficiency does not stop photographer

LOS BANOS -- Guy Menezes got a head start as a freelance photographer when he set up a website in July to sell his prints.

The Los Banos High School senior, who graduates and turns 19 today, picked up a consumer camera in July 2010 while visiting Oregon.

"I got a point-and-shoot and started fooling around with it," Menezes said, adding he upgraded to a Nikon D3100 a year later.

Menezes said he's self-taught through photography books and forums, and YouTube. He's working toward a Nikon D7000.

But then, Menezes has always been a do-it-yourself kind of person.

"Guy has done everything from Day One -- there's no stopping him," said Menezes' mother, Belinda.

He was born without part of all four of his limbs, what doctors call limb deficiency. His mother said doctors didn't have an explanation other than it's rare. Limb deficiency, depending on the type and extremity, occurs in anywhere from 4 in 10,000 births to 1 in 1 million.

"He's amazing," she said.

In a town of 35,000 where he's shooting all the Los Banos High football games, Menezes said just about everyone knows who he is even if he doesn't know them.

Menezes said he has not run into hurdles his disability might cause when he's working a sideline or the beach.

"As far as shooting and whatnot, it's no big deal," Menezes said.

He uses both arms, which essentially stop before the elbow, to hold the camera; he clicks the shutter button with the single finger on his right arm.

Menezes said he enjoys capturing the motion of a game in his work, and looks up to action photographer Chase Jarvis.

"It's just kind of a cool thing; you don't really see it frozen like that," he said.

The website, www.throughtheglassofalens.com, is a way to get his work out there, Menezes said. He's sold some portraits and sports photos.

Menezes said he plans to pursue his freelance career, and likely will take classes at Merced College's Los Banos campus. His mom is pushing him to continue to a four-year school.

Laura Corben, an art teacher, said her former student has a "great attitude," mastered many camera techniques and taught her a thing or two.

"He definitely has an eye, and a keen sense of composition," Corben said.

Los Banos Enterprise reporter Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 388-6562 or by email at tmiller@losbanosenterprise.com.

This story was originally published June 4, 2012 at 1:07 AM with the headline "Limb deficiency does not stop photographer."