The sun is out, and it’s a perfect day to hit the water. But as thousands of tubers are floating down the Guadalupe River, Neil Suntych is sitting along its banks instead.
He may be a stranger to you, but if you’ve ever been down the Guadalupe, chances are Suntych has captured a very special moment that belongs to you.
His job is to watch for and document some of the happiest and most memorable times in the lives of people he’s never met.
“It’s just a good time, among people enjoying themselves (and) having a good time. And you get to be a part of that, and get paid for it too,” Suntych said. “It’s the best of both worlds.”
It all began 25 years ago. Suntych says he was standing by the Salt River in Phoneix, Arizona. As always, his tripod and camera never left his side. And as always, he was doing what he loved most -- taking pictures.
“Everyone was waving and screaming as they floated down the river,” Suntych said. “I started snapping photos.”
And with the snap of a button, things began falling into place.
“Tubers don’t want to bring their cameras so they don’t lose it in the river. And I was there,” Suntych said. “They asked me to take pictures of them.”
Suntych saw an opportunity in the water and began a unique business. Before long, he was standing by the river everyday, snapping one photo after the next.
And as tubers exited the water, Suntych was waiting and tubers were buying from him.
“The public loved it. People would come up to me and thank me (and) tell me what a great idea it is. The feedback was amazing,” Suntych said. “No one has ever deployed a system like this.”
And you’ll probably see no one else by the Guadalupe River doing what Suntych does.
He moved to New Braunfels after learning the Guadalupe was one of the most popular rivers in the country for tubers. For the last 19 years, he’s been running a very successful business by its waters.
“We had a booth set up the old-fashioned way on film, and we mailed orders to people,” Suntych said.
But thanks to technology, his business was able to grow. With digital cameras and the Internet, tubers can now have their pictures by the end of the day.
Suntych and two of his employees spend countless hours hanging around the Guadalupe and Comal rivers. They’ll throw beads as you float, and if you turn for a smile, you won’t miss his sign for “RiverFotos.com.”
“I’m born to love it. I love nature and the scenic photography,” Suntych said. “There is nothing like capturing peoples’ happy moments.”
They're the kinds of moments that have turned Suntych's passion into a profession -- memories he'll hold onto for as long as he can.
If you’ve ever floated the river, don’t be surprised to find your photo on Suntych’s website at Riverfotos.com.
