"I was a starving, struggling artist making movies," recalls Bill O’Leary of his carefree 20s. As co-founder of Travesty Ltd., he produced more than a dozen short films as well as records, books on tape and radio shows. But while the work was fun, it didn't pay the bills and in 1984 O'Leary decided to accept a position as The Post's darkroom technician. He had just turned 30. "I took it as an interim job, between films, and just kind of caught journalism fever," he says. "I soon realized it was much more satisfying than making movies." Lacking formal photojournalism training, he remembers his days elbow to elbow in the darkroom with The Post staffers as the "best schooling you could ever get." Five years later, he became a staff photographer. O'Leary says he enjoys shooting "simple, down-to-earth" subjects the best. This is reflected in his lyrical pictures: a hunter's moon above the Capitol, downtown D.C. seemingly underwater, and a semi-circle of birds flying over a parking lot in Rockville, Md.