Trying to catch up with Joe Semkow is like trying to capture a butterfly. He is constantly on the move, darting here and there, and when he does settle it’s only for a minute before he’s off again.

“Sleep is overrated,” says Semkow, a freelance photographer who enjoys jet skiing, snorkeling, swimming with the sharks, and even jumping out of airplanes. A self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, he lives each day to its fullest, while still taking time to appreciate the wonders of nature.

“Someone once told me that if you sleep eight hours a day, seven days a week, the average person sleeps 22 years of his life. That’s a lot of wasted time. I sleep here and there, but I push myself to enjoy as much of life as I can. There’s so much to see and do and the earlier you are up, the more of the day you get to enjoy.”

The 36-year-old is well-known around town for his stunning images of rocket launches and sunrises, as well as some jaw-dropping underwater and drone photography. Semkow has mastered the ability to capture Mother Nature’s most beautiful moments and freeze them in time, so that everyone can enjoy them.

“My photography reminds people that life is our own story, and our world is always changing,” says Semkow, conjecturing that while a lot of what has happened in the past has been documented, there are blank pages to fill from today on.

“It’s not how the story starts but how it ends. If someone has a bad day, they can look at a photo, and find strength to keep moving forward. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than someone saying they find inspiration in my photos; that it helps them get through the day.”

Semkow was born and raised in Hollywood, Fla., and joined the Coast Guard straight after high school. He says he was driven to serve his country and values the experiences he had and the lessons he learned while on active duty.

“Serving in the military teaches you the definition of being an American as well as honor, integrity and devotion to duty,” he says with pride.

Soon after being discharged, he found Vero Beach and fell in love with our beachside town.

“I rented a little apartment on the beach and started each morning walking the beach and taking photos,” he recalls.

“That was my entry to the world of photography. I saw a lot of people taking photos and I wanted to make mine look different, so I started learning the basics of photography and experimenting. I never had any formal training, but I soaked up all the information I could from photographers I met along the way,” says Semkow.

“I realized that photography is something you create for yourself, and it really doesn’t matter if anyone likes it or not. You, alone, are creating what you want to see and capture.”

His photographic career was launched while working at Costa D’Este Resort when a marketing director asked if they could use some of his photos. He had worked his way up from valet to front desk associate and eventually to marketing coordinator, a position he still manages to do alongside his photography business.

Semkow says a good part of his income these days comes from his commercial real estate photography, where he utilizes drone footage to showcase high-end properties in their entirety.

“Drones have replaced helicopters for aerial photography, making it more affordable for Realtors to incorporate those images in their marketing plans,” he explains.

“I love doing drone photography. I’ve captured some amazing photos of our coastline, sea turtles swimming on the reef, and the SS Breconshire shipwreck in its watery grace just off our shore.”

Semkow says he uses standard camera equipment, stressing that you don’t need the most expensive apparatus to capture great images.

“A $500 camera does what the $4,000 camera does,” he says.

“It captures the photo. Technology is so advanced that even cellphone cameras can give you the same quality as a 35mm digital camera. And a run-of-the-mill GoPro can capture some spectacular underwater scenes. The quality of the photo is only compromised if you are enlarging it greatly.”

Semkow is equally well known for his random acts of kindness and his ability to inspire others. He begins each day by posting positive affirmations to some 2,000 viewers on his feel-good, Vero-centric Facebook page.

“This group is meant to inspire people to do good, to lift people up when they are down, and to come together as a community to help others in need,” he explains.

“As a group, we’ve been able to raise funds for various charities and individuals in need.

We’ve raised money to put kids in new sneakers for the first day of school and supply backpacks full of supplies to those in need,” says Semkow.

“We also have purchased hundreds of children’s bikes to give away at Christmas and we make it even more fun by hiding it, posting a photo of it and giving it to the first child who finds it. The main thing we do as a group is support and inspire each other.”

Behind the scenes, Semkow has donated wall-sized prints to children undergoing treatment in hospitals, giving them a “window to the beauty of the world” as they fight whatever ails them. He has also arranged for cookies to be delivered to public servants who aren’t typically recognized, filled up gas tanks, and bought lunch for those struggling to make ends meet.

In short, Semkow is the poster child for paying it forward.

“Everyone needs a smile,” he says. “One thing I’ve learned through my own personal struggles is that nothing is guaranteed. You have to be happy with yourself and do things that inspire you. For me that is photography.”