I started doing photography when I was about 20 years old. At the time I was studying political science at UC Berkeley and modeling on the side. I met a wonderful photographer on a shoot who became my mentor. Most of the productions I assisted on were big advertising campaigns with large budgets which was a different world than I was used to modeling around the Bay Area. I learned a lot about production and realized then that photography could be a rewarding lifelong career. 

After about two years as a studio manager and photo assistant I went to Europe and basically gave myself nine months to figure everything out. I bought a cheap Sony camera and took it everywhere. I photographed people in night clubs in London, models and designers at Paris Fashion Week and nudists at an adult summer camp in the Swiss Alps. I just made a point to shoot everything I saw and everyone I met. Even though those photos are far from perfect and taken before I developed a more consistent style, they depict some of the best memories of my life. 

Modeling has given me an extraordinary leg up in my photography career, mainly in that I can give direction to subjects based on my experience receiving it. I also get to work with other photographers and observe how they do things–that proximity has helped in finding mentors and assisting work. 

But I think the most exciting thing about photography is that I get more creative control than if I were the subject. Some people are meant to be in front of the camera and that is where they feel most creative and empowered. It’s a peaceful, carefree place for me after more than a decade but presently, I’m enjoying the excitement of being behind the camera. It’s a louder state of flow but the payoff is incomparable. 

People, landscapes, textures and the light that envelops everything. That’s why shooting winemaking is a dream! There is always a wonderful story.

This is a bit of a departure from professional achievements but as one of my favorite photographers put it, all the commercial big-budget stuff is merely practice for capturing the most important moments of our lives. Christopher Anderson was referring to his family and daily life within the home or on holiday. My sister and her fiance were planning a wedding when Covid shut down most of the country in 2020. On top of all the uncertainty, the loss and grief felt around the world, they had to give up their dream of celebrating with their loved ones anytime soon. They decided to do a low-key ceremony on the beach below the house they were renting on Bainbridge Island with just me and my parents as witnesses.

It was New Years Eve and the weather was what you’d typically expect for the PNW–dark, windy and rainy. And to top it off, that morning there were reports of a sewage spill up the beach. 

It seemed as though the weight of the whole year was going to smother any moment of attempted joy. I needed to make my own light and give them something beautiful that wasn’t visible in real life. So I lugged a B1 strobe and a stand down to the beach and made a set of photos that I’m very proud of. Mostly because of how my sister looks at them and doesn’t only see all the difficulties of that day and the months leading up to it. It was the only moment in my life where a photograph of mine seemed to have the power to change real life circumstances for the better.

Sashi and the team at Domaine de la Côte were so warm and welcoming. I suppose I went into it without expectation, but it ended up being much more enjoyable and relaxed than any other job of the same nature. There was really no shot list–just a rundown of things that would happen that could be of interest to capture. This is my favorite way to work because it takes me a little while to get acquainted with a place, the people who inhabit it and think about how to capture everything in a genuine way. 

Most of my job as a lifestyle and fashion photographer is imposing my vision to create a scene that has been discussed for many days leading up to the shoot. And while that is also a rewarding challenge, I think the photos I love the most depict scenes that just unfold in front of me and I happen to be there to capture it. 

The night before harvest, everyone gathered at Sashi’s home to enjoy a delicious feast and an incredible collection of wine. I was honored to witness and enjoy what felt like a well-deserved celebration of thorough planning and hard work. The serenity of the landscape and the pride of the people who tend it is what struck me during my visit and what I hoped to capture in my photos.