To be honest, I hate artists bios. I'm a professional artist and have been writing them for years so you think I'd be used to it by now. No Joy.
Who I am:
I'm a Vancouver, Canada based photographer/digital artist/graphic designer with a background in theatre design and sculpture, and trained in the UK. My primary interest as a photographer, thanks to this background, is lighting, the human body as a sculptural form, alternative lighting techniques and the unerring sensuality of life with a European twist.
Here in Vancouver I work very closely with the burlesque community, who are often the subjects of my work, and co-produce a show called Pasties and a G-String on the Drive with my partner that combines musicians and dancers who have never worked together in a burlesque-to-live-music format. My photography has appeared in countless newspapers, and magazines all over the world and a few exhibitions, both group and solo.

Areas of interest:
I specialize in editorial/concept, burlesque, band, alternative pin-up, fetish, fashion, period recreation photography, art nudes, and erotica.

Creative influences:
Georgia O'Keefe, Robert Maplethorpe, Man Ray, Lord Snowdon, Joel-Peter Whitkin, 30's era photography, South American magic realism and a whole host of obscure and unimportant photographers that you -and I- have never heard of that guided my vision along the way thanks to singular images that struck my fancy and impacted my imagination in some way.

Working style:
I was trained, and work, as a designer; this means that I am a 'back and forth' communicator who will hone down on a concept with my clients/models until I think we have something solid and professional and I can deliver the goods.

When it comes to the shoot I strive to create a relaxed and supportive environment and I absolutely treasure the relationships that I have forged with the many people I have been lucky enough to shoot with and for. I think I can safely say that I am very lucky to have the reputation that I have, have worked hard at it and deserve it.

Philosophy:
Originality, creativity, passion, and a little good ole' fashion sexiness. While commercial photography is bread and butter, what I really enjoy is creating unique images, original concepts and exploring the possibilities of the human form. I like to challenge myself and I respect models who do the same.

I am a 'sex positive' photographer; this does not mean I want to do porn, that I'm a perv or I'm going to hit on you, it means I think there is a line to be walked where overt sexuality can be imbued with a sense of art and elevated to something more than simple titillation. I strive to create an image that can hang on a wall not buried in a sock drawer.

I have 'muses'; models that I photograph with on a regular basis that range from very experienced to inexperienced, men , women, queer, straight, and trans and I do so because they push my creative boundaries and always ask me to work harder and smarter -even if they are not conscious of this themselves at the time.

When I charge, when I do TFP:
I'll be bald faced honest about this one. At the end of the day, if you don't pay for something you won't value it as much. I don't believe that art is disposable or should be forgettable. I have a fee schedule and I set my rates according to CAPIC, so they are fair. I also have a sliding scale for people in different industries including the burlesque and music communities.

Re TFP: I am a firm believer that you don't get better without going out on a limb. This means experimentation and allot of practice. I am always looking for new people to experiment with or to work on original concepts and projects with and usually have a list of projects I'm working towards . This goes both ways, so if you think you have an idea that would spark my interest don't be afraid to give me a shout.
I also work on a profit share basis with my art photography so, while I don't pay models for shoots, I will give you a percentage of profit if I sell a photograph at an exhibition. While there are some who may object to this, at the end of the day, I'm not interested in somebody who expects to show up, throw a few standard poses and get paid, we're all working towards goals, we all work hard; my aim is to produce something remarkable and original that stands out above the rest and I'm interested in people who think the same way.

Vancouver Sun, The Province, Georgia Straight, X-tra West, CBC, Build Magazine, Live Nation, New Musical Express, Pique Magazine, Reverb Nation, The Telegraph, Heitmatzeitung, Solingen, Scout Boutique, Lace Embrace Atelier, Sweet Soul Designs and others.

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