The Best of Both Worlds

Dr. Huey Kidd balances his pursuit of purpose with his creative passion.

BY CAROLYN DRINKARD

Dr. Huey Kidd grew up in Anniston, Alabama in a home that encouraged creativity. His grandfather was an accomplished musician; his mother, a photography hobbyist; his father and sister, visual artists. However, Kidd struggled to find his own creative bent among this talented family.

Kidd first fell in love with the art of photography in a high-school art class. Using black and white film to shoot his images, he developed them himself in a dark room.

“I enjoyed this,” he stated. “They used two of my images in the school yearbook. I got a kick out of that, but film was expensive, and I didn’t have the money to pursue it after high school.”

Kidd chose to become a doctor instead of pursuing a career in art. Helping people while enjoying financial stability appealed to him. He graduated from Auburn University and went to medical school at Nova Southeast University in Miami, Florida. He opened Physicians Care in Thomasville and later established five health care clinics in underserved communities around Southwest Alabama.

In 2017, while spending quite a bit of time at the beach, Kidd found himself fascinated by a bird along the shore. Using his cellphone camera, he snapped some pictures. Dissatisfied that he could not see the details he desired, Kidd purchased a professional-grade camera and took an online photography course with the New York Institute of Photography.

“My photography was just for fun,” he explained. ”I called it ‘phototherapy,’ because it was a great way to escape and relieve stress!”

After a while, that “phototherapy” had become a passion, as he wanted his camera in his hand at all times.

“I fed my wanderlust and my desire to create by traveling and capturing moments,” he explained.

Those “moments” soon grew into a treasure trove of amazing artistry. Kidd had reconnected to his artistic side, the one that had seemed to elude him as a child.

The osprey (pictured in action in these photos) is one of Dr. Huey Kidd’s favorite birds to capture with his photography skills.

Even though Kidd had slowly accepted his recognition as an “artist,” he still found it difficult to show his work. His website (hueykidd.com) allowed him to offer a peek into each facet of his artistic journey. Here, guests can find samples of fauna, landscape, innovation and human images. In 2018, he won the Editors’ Favorite from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC YOUR SHOT with his poignant picture of a breast cancer survivor, who had undergone bilateral mastectomies, along with chemotherapy and radiation.

Dr. Huey Kidd agreed to allow Wilcox Artworks to show some of his work. The exhibit, entitled ”Through my eyes,” featured wildlife, human, landscape and innovation samples from his vast collection. (Photo by Johnny Autery)

Dr. Frank Dozier (l) and Dr. Davita Dozier (c) attended Kidd’s exhibit in Camden. All three doctors have family medical practices in Thomasville.

Kidd finds inspiration everywhere, but there is nowhere else he would rather be than in the place he calls home: Miller’s Ferry, right in the heart of the Black Belt, along the Alabama River.

“I love this area,” he said. “You couldn’t get a prettier area than Camden and Miller’s Ferry. The natural resources here are unbelievable, and the wildlife is unreal!”

The area’s unspoiled beauty has become an unending source of delight for Kidd. He often rises before daylight, slips onto his boat and moves silently through the early morning mists, searching the creeks and sloughs of the Alabama River for more “moments” to photograph.

“I could spend hours here and totally lose track of time,” he laughed.

Birds have always delighted Kidd. Many bird lovers praise his images for their vivid details of feathering, eyes and talons. Eagles especially fascinate him. He said that he had found eagles at the beach, but he sees many more around his home, where the pure colors in their plumage are unequaled.

Kidd’s amazing photography has gained the attention of local artisans who recently convinced him to show his work at two different exhibits. Kidd presented 44 pieces at the Camden Artworks Gallery and the Grove Hill Library Exhibit. Large crowds attended, astonishing Kidd, who admitted to being humbled by the responses to his art.

Kidd has an eye for photography and sees things differently from others. Many times, his eye catches interesting things in unusual places such as deserted roadsides or solitary seashores. Through his eyes, the world is reframed, revealing not only what he saw but also what he felt as he captured the moment.

Each day, Kidd balances his pursuit of purpose with his profound passion. What started with only “a camera phone, a bird and a beach” has now become the best of both worlds for this talented artist.”