Steve McCurry | my mentor before we even met

So much of my passion and photographic style stems from my first encounter with Steve McCurry’s imagery. Seeing his work for the first time, I experienced a calming realization that I had encountered my ultimate inspiration. This connection defined a place of belonging, revealing stylistic interests that were not being stimulated by my more traditional photography education.

Steve’s work truly resonated with me. I felt a connection, an inexplicable understanding in a way I have never felt with any other artist. His worked allowed me to envision where I wanted to go and instilled confidence that pursuing a similarly inspired style was possible.

Motivated about photography and eager to find my true photographic passion, I set out for India on a six week trip of self-exploration with Steve’s Portraits book in hand. I spent evenings pouring over his work. His inspiration stirred something within me, and my style began to develop out of this desire to create imagery that like his profoundly impacts people in many ways.

I returned from India determined to pursue photography and moved to New York jobless, friendless and penniless. I did the inevitable, something I had to do if only to say I tried, and pursued a position with Steve McCurry. Astonished, I landed an internship position that influenced my photographic journey in intangible ways.

Working with such a talented photographer was absolutely extraordinary experience that opened the way for the flourishing career I have today.  I learned to ask for the impossible and to follow your true sense of purpose. Steve was my teacher before we met and continues to be an invaluable inspiration and an extraordinary mentor to this day.