Ray McMullen Fine Art Photography

Today I woke up with a bit of excitement knowing that I would be seeing what my toe now looked like after, the partial amputation to remove the bone infection. This would be one step closer to getting my kidney transplant and one step closer to taking back my life. The fact of the matter is that immediately following the toe surgery, my foot felt normal once again. I was in no pain and my foot more specifically, my big toe, was no longer mad (infected). It felt as it did years before the diagnosis. It felt content and normal. This was a bit alarming as I was use to having neuropathy in my feet and now, it felt normal once again. I felt like I was moving my toe and that all was right in the world once again. But, looking at my foot, I knew it wasn’t. The spot where my big toe once sat was a bit shorter and wrapped with bandages. In addition, my foot was secured in an inflatable boot for stability. I kept thinking to myself… What have I done now? In the days after t...

I can attest that there’s nothing more exciting than finding your organ donor. But imagine coming home after a hard dialysis treatment and wishing you didn’t have to do them anymore and there was no light at the end of the tunnel; only to have your best friend, soulmate and wife tell you that she got a call and that she was an excellent match for a kidney transplant.  I had been battling cancer and dealing with dialysis treatments 3 days a week for 2 years. I had been given the news that my cancer was in stringent remission however, I still needed to do dialysis treatments until I could get accepted into a transplant program. I finally did get accepted into the transplant program at Vanderbilt University, the only problem was with my blood type. I was looking at a six to eight year wait. I was happy just to be in the program.  My journey continued, day after day, dialysis treatment after dialysis treatment. I felt like the walls were closing in on me and there was no end...

After my diagnosis, I was forced to slow down a bit from my everyday life. In doing so, I was able to appreciate the little things in life. Things that I would have just passed over without a second thought, like: 1.      Colors —Colors are more vibrant and I see so many more then I ever had before. It’s as if I’m seeing things with different eyes. 2.      Taste —I developed a taste for foods that I never liked before. All the things that I liked had bolder flavors. 3.      Relationships —I felt a need to listen to people when they spoke. Instead of waiting to speak, I actually was listening to what people had to say. I found a greater desire to connect with people. Having cancer did feel like a death sentence at first. However, after living with it for a couple of years and finding my new normal, I really don’t think that I would change a thing. I have a new appreciation for life and if my cancer ...

Early morning

One more waiting room.

To explore

Kidney Transplant

      Leaving the familiar and allowing yourself to  follow a dream  can be a very difficult thing to do. I was successful in my career, but it wasn't fulfilling and there was something missing. I found that missing piece in photography, and it quickly became my passion. I was torn between my photography and a job that would provide for my family. After a lot of soul searching, I decided to  follow a dream .      I left that job to pursue my passion. Now I spend my days looking for new places to discover and shoot. My pay check may be a bit smaller, but I am happy getting up every morning to follow my passion.      I'm just a guy with a camera trying to capture life one click at a time.  I want my photography to tell a story. Every photo has something different to say.  I can't wait to see what the future has in store for me. The lesson learned... Don't let anything stand in your w...