ON THE ROAD...to photography.
I was told to keep my site simple by everyone. WHY? There are so many cool stories I want to share. And I'm not that cool to have a well-oiled machine of a blog.
Over the years, many have asked about my story. They say, “You travel the world and you have such a different life but all we know is you’re a photographer.” I guess it can seem that simple but it is HARD WORK and at times, near fatal. You can have the utmost highs and yet crazy lows during your discipline. There are hours, days, & weeks in front of your computer. You're constantly building, networking, pleasing, then branding, and then doing it all over again. But the times you get to step out and SHOOT and CREATE?...it's downright AWESOME!
About a decade ago, I had someone ask, “What achievement would make you realize you ‘made it’ in the industry?” I responded with, “Cover of Rolling Stone.”
Though that has not happened (yet), I was recently speaking with someone and realized,
“Holy Shit! I’ve done some monumental stuff." I've been a featured trendsetting artist in trade shows, have attention of galleries, shot brilliant people, traveled, had billboards, covers, was even a top selected photographer with Red Bull. I thought to myself, “Haven’t I already made quite an impression?"
As an established "Photographer," what a wild ride it's been while doing what I love!
Who else gets to chill with DJ Jazzy Jeff one day, David Beckham the next, and WuTang the following? I'm constantly asked for advice. Advice? Go shoot. Grow some &$^% and find a way to get in and shoot. Learn from your mistakes.
A decade in, I soon had people in publishing asking about a book, but I was busy, I was still growing, I was building. The crazy stories continued like me getting stranded in the country, saved by Highway Patrolmen, almost falling off a bridge AND a cliff, 12 phones shattered or drowned in a year, butchering and bloodying my body, and alligators peeing on me, being kidnapped by tourguides in Sri Lanka. I’ve slept on couches, in cars and on cars, on floors, next to bums, and airport hangers, and those are just the glamorous locations. I do just about every sport that I shoot. And to think, most this inspiration started when I was an aspiring Olympic Trampolinist, a National Champion. And even crazier, a Division 1 cheerleader between.
I've put myself behind and in front of the lens to understand my style and direction. I've fallen from 14 thousand & glided at 16 shooting a Paragliding Base Jump over the North Shore, I've shot endless Xgames, and had Oscar winners in my lens. I've photographed Kobe's shoe yet been hit in the face by Lebron (who never said sorry...#justsayin). I've almost broken my neck and been the face of multiple growing digital companies. I've had the misfortune of losing some beautiful people, including a Mentor, (and even worse) I've photographed fatal accidents. I've ran from the law and to the law. Have had stalkers and been the joke of legendary pranks. I've been called green, inspirational, and yet a lesbian for wearing comfortable shoes. I was even expected to be a man when showing up to celebrity shoots. Like I said, what a WILD RIDE.
It's small town girl in big town LA from way of Ohio and NYC. I'm in a growing industry which has reversed it's rules over the years.
But the best part of my adventures, although sometimes intense, is that the product is ALWAYS delivered, giving me the acclaim with some of the biggest companies in the world.
Let me give you just a peak of some quick pulls of behind the scenes in photos of the shitshow that has now become… a book? One day...
THE HOUSE OF DEVON.
*for video, please click on my 'Motion' tab on my site.
