I always love hearing from my friends and fans what they think about my work—how it affects them or inspires them, and what they would like to see next. It helps me to be a better photographer, and I have to admit, it’s an amazing compliment when someone goes out of their way to chat with me about my work! I can promise you all I don’t take it lightly—it really does mean so much. With that said, after receiving a few kind emails and questions lately, I thought it would be a good idea to have a Q&A here on the blog to answer your questions and just reach out to you all in a more personal way. Two weeks ago I sent out a call for questions on social media, and as much as I appreciated each and every one of them, I wanted to narrow it down a bit so I could really respond thoughtfully with my answers. Below, I’ve gathered a few of my most frequently asked questions (along with a few I thought would be most fun to answer), and I went to work on writing my A’s to your Q’s! Keep reading to see what made the cut…
## 1. What is your favorite shot or series you have taken?
Although I love shooting warm and sunny beaches all over the world, my series in Antarctica actually holds a really special place in my heart. I’m so proud of the work I did there, because the location itself was probably the most challenging I’ve worked with to this day. The continent’s landscape is beyond beautiful, but with unpredictable winds and shifting ice, it’s not exactly the most cooperative place to shoot. But that shoot really changed my view of the world and it continues to be a body of work I cherish and have a hard time putting a price tag on.
## 2. How did you meet your husband? Is he involved in your business at all?
My husband and I met during the Boston Marathon while I was in college in Boston. In fact, we just celebrated our 10th anniversary of the day we met earlier this year at the Marathon! He was always supportive of my business from the beginning but we did not work together until earlier this year when he became COO of the company. It’s funny working together because we both never thought we would but we certainly have been enjoying it very much!
## 3. Do you plan each aerial shot in advance or do you shoot spontaneously when you see something that inspires you up in the air?
I would say a little bit of both. I have an idea of what I want to accomplish while I’m up in the air, but when I actually get up there I often find that things stand out to me that didn’t even cross my mind when I was on the ground. So I like to keep an open mind and view while I’m in the air, and just snap any pattern or scene that inspires me. It never ceases to amaze me how natural art just seems to magically come together and present itself on the ground below, so I like to capture those “aha” moments whenever possible.
## 4. If you could live in one of your pieces for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
It’s so hard to narrow it down to a single shot, but if I had to choose one series to live in I would probably say Gray Malin at the Parker. It’s a collection that is just undeniably whimsical and was truly packed with so much imagination on my end. I loved being able to kind of run wild with my ideas and I think it would be such a fun “world” to live in forever. Living amongst these wild animals as if they were just part of the natural landscape at the Parker would be so incredible—plus, who doesn’t love the Parker Palm Springs? That in itself is a dream spot to live eternally.
## 5. What are some destinations that are on your bucket list?
Oh man, there are so many, but I would very much like to go to New Zealand one day, as well as Alaska. I have also always wanted to go to Easter Island… I hope to make it there one day.
## 6. How do you get your iconic aerial shots?
I get asked this one a lot, and I never get tired of explaining my process because the process itself never gets old to me! When I take my aerial shots, I go up into the air in a helicopter, and shoot with camera in hand. I find that it’s the best way for me to see exactly what shot I want to get, and really have a hands-on approach to my photography. Plus, I can’t get enough of going up and seeing those aerial views for myself—there’s just nothing like it. When I first started out, I got the initial vision for an aerial shot when I was looking down from my hotel window at a Las Vegas pool dotted with guests and umbrellas. It sparked an idea, and a few months later I was in Miami and contacted many of the city’s hotels to shoot from their roofs, after they declined, I had to improvise. Hence, the helicopter!
## 7. What work did you do before you became a professional photographer?
I actually originally moved to LA for a marketing internship in the entertainment industry. In college I studied both photography and marketing/advertising and, like a lot of people, I began to lose sight of my dreams (photography) and focus on other things (like marketing). My internship in Los Angeles was at Paramount Vantage on the Paramount Lot in Hollywood. After the internship ended I graduated and got advanced to assistant to the president of the company! It was a great job albeit a little bit like a role from The Devil Wears Prada. BUT if we are talking way back in the day, my first job (at the young age of 14) was selling snow cones on the beach in a small community I grew going to in the summer! My dad loaned me some money to buy my very own shaved ice machine and the rest was history in terms of being an entrepreneur.
## 8. How did you know when it was the right time to expand and hire a team? And how did you build that team?
About three years after leaving my corporate job things really began to get hectic. I went to Dallas, Texas (my hometown!) for a homecoming gallery show of my work and it was extremely exciting to be back to celebrate with so many loved ones. At dinner one night my parents were kindly questioning me about my job and asking normal ‘parent questions’ wondering if everything was going well etc. I remember just looking up at them listening and quietly beginning to tear up because I was so overwhelmed with my job and I couldn’t lie to them. I guess no one had really stopped to ask me those ‘parent questions’ and it suddenly became apparent that I needed help… and the timing couldn’t have been better. Sometimes it’s those closest to you that can really help you realize when it’s time to take the next step. Building a team is very challenging and does not happen overnight. In my case I was fortunate to have a dear friend in the Los Angeles area who I had grown up with in Dallas and she was transitioning out of a job. I asked her if she would consider working with me and though it was hard for both of us, we learned to work together and she helped me learn how to trust other people and ultimately grow my company. When she started we hired another employee.. and another, and then another, and now today there are 12 full time employees including myself. I love my team so much… they are like my family!
Xx GM
P.S. If your questions didn’t get answered in this post, don’t worry. I received so many good questions that I have a Part II to this post coming to the blog later this month!
