I hate writing artist statements and bios – they always sound so artspeak and never truly explain the true essence of what you do and what your passions are. Taking a cue from my good friend and photography colleague, I give you  instead the single person interview:

What’s your photography background?

I started out shooting the urban landscape, exploring abandonments throughout the northeastern US rust belt in places like Detroit, Buffalo, Rochester, Philadephia, and even Gary, Indiana. Several years ago, my photography collective HangMan7 decided to try their hand at burlesque photography and I fell in love with the creative energy of the performances. I’ve been shooting burlesque and performance ever since and have honed my skills in the studio to shoot other sexually progressive medium such as kink, fetish, fine art nude, and boudoir.

Why do you shoot burlesque and performance?

I love the fact that burlesque is so inclusive – you can be anyone and participate. Burlesque does not discriminate based on gender, race, sexual preference, size, shape, religious belief, social status, political leaning, or class. All you need is some creativity, a fantastic costume, a killer soundtrack, a few dance moves, the basics of neo-burlesque (reveal, feather fan work, scarves), and a whole lotta guts to get on that stage and shimmy and shake your way into the audience’s heart. The vibrant energy of the genre keeps me coming back month after month and the people behind the characters become the true story behind my photos.

Do you ever exhibit your work?

Exhibiting in galleries and group shows is an expensive endeavour. For this reason I am very selective about when and where I exhibit my pieces printed and fully framed. However, you can see my work on many websites such as Flickr, Facebook, Behance, 500px, as well as burlesque performer websites, and many pieces have made it into editorial print.

Do the performers approve the photos you show?

Absolutely! Respecting the performers and their brand is important. I always send copies of my photos to each performer (as long as the have contact information somewhere on the web) to see what I’d like to post. They have the final say on whether a photo is posted or not, and they can keep the lores copies for promotion.

Do you get permission to sell photos?

Yes, yes, and yes! All photos that I sell as prints have been vetted by the performers and I have a signed model release allowing me to sell the images non-commercially (prints only). I sell my photos as large, fine art, limited edition (maximum 20) framed or non-framed prints through this website. All small (8″ x 10″ and 11″ x 17″) unlimited edition C-prints are sold through Gallery Libertine.

Do you do studio sessions with non-professionals?

Studio sessions can be booked by anyone and for any type of theme and style – boudoir, fine art nude, kink, fetish, burlesque, headshots, etc. As my work is mostly adult-themed, I do not work with pets, children, or babies.

Can I get free photos for my modeling portfolio?

If only I could, but I need to be able to pay the studio costs and my time and skills producing your photos. You can read a really good explanation of this policy here, which is endorsed by a large number in the photography community. If you would like to work with me in the studio, you can find my rates here.

Can I book you to shoot my performance

Please do! You can find information about my performance photo services here. I would love to help you promote yourself with some professionally shot and processed photos.

What other artsy stuff have you done?

2011 - Coordinator, Riverdale Art Walk
2011 - Instructor, X Lens: Erotic Photography Course (7-week course)
2010 - Coordinator, Little Art Show
2010 - Administrator, Riverdale Art Walk
2009-11 - Curator/Coordinator, Building Storeys Exhibit, Heritage Toronto
2009-11 - Chair, Programming Committee, Hang Man Gallery
2008-10 - Photo Editor, Heritage Toronto