During the summer, I was assigned to visit a gun range with one of 225‘s reporters, Daryl Moore. He was writing a story on what it took to obtain a conceal and carry license in the state of Louisiana, and they wanted me to get some shots of Daryl working on his aim at the range, as well as some portraits of him.
I was unsure what to expect, as I’d never been to a gun range before or shot a gun for real. (Somehow, I didn’t think the BB guns and pellet rifles I shot… and taught children to shoot… at summer camp really count in the grand scheme of things.)
Upon arrival, Daryl told me he was going to let me shoot a round or two… and I told him that it was perfectly OK for him to take all the rounds because I needed to get good photos of him. But then Daryl told Gordon, his instructor, and I was roped into shooting after I had the photographs of Daryl for the article.
225 reporter Daryl Moore practices his shot at the Baker Range in Baker, La., on Fri., July 27, 2012. Moore went through the concealed carry handgun permit process last year and has written a story about his experience for September 2012’s issue of 225. (Photo by Erin Parker/225)
So after Daryl was done with his rounds, it was my turn. I was a bit terrified — I mean, I’d never really shot a gun before, and it was something that wasn’t on my life list of things to do. But after some instruction from Gordon, I was ready to go.
I handed off my camera to Daryl, requesting a few photographs of the experience because it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t and because I was convinced no one would believe I actually shot a gun otherwise.
It was a good time had by all… and turns out, I’m not half bad a shot!
To read Daryl’s article, read Carry out: The trials and tribulations of securing a conceal and carry permit.
To learn more about the conceal and carry course Daryl took, visit Gordon Hutchinson’s website.
