Blending teaching and photography, explores nature's tales while connecting with students, transitioning from a chalkboard to mountain peaks, Joey Starr.

Long Shot Leaders with Michael Stein

Joey Starr is a a photographer and school teacher. He grew up in a low-income household near Seattle with a teacher mom and a dad who worked at Costco. His parents instilled a work ethic in him, encouraging self-improvement by aiming to be 1% better each day.

Despite being a bad student who disliked school, he eventually became a teacher, a decision he initially rejected because of his mom's experience. He has an older sister who is also a teacher, though she became one after raising five children. Joey took a four-year break after high school due to family issues and lack of support for college.

However, a former soccer coach and her husband, a principal, recognized his potential and offered to support him through college, a gesture he greatly appreciated. His transition from security guard to teacher, driven by the need to support and mentor children in the public school system. His interest in outdoor activities like climbing and photography began after his competitive soccer days ended. Joey fell in love with climbing, starting to document it through photography without any formal training. His Instagram journey started in late 2019, initially using a personal account before creating a new one to focus solely on outdoor content.