I have a twin sister named Toni (Tony with an "I") and she's beastly. 

We were raised in Telluride, CO - a Ski Resort town of 2,500 residents, by a pure-bred Englishman and half-Italian half-Irish New York street woman by the name of Michelle and Mick. 

When I was 12, my photography life had developed beyond a fleeting hobby and into small obsession. I had a thing every Christmas and birthday where I'd research whatever I wanted to the point that I could present that it was the dopest present ever because of X,Y,Z,A,B reasons and won't be a waste of money, or time. The query, bordering on begging, was telling my mom I literally don't need a single new pajama pant for Christmas or my birthday (4 days after Christmas), if I could get a camera and nothing else i'd be so happy. She came through with a Canon XTi and two lenses, the kit 18-55 and 70-300 - I WAS SET FOR YEARS! 

I've never thought more about a gift, ever. She was an artsy portfolio-building, portraiture taking photographer in NYC for a little while and knew I had to have options (so I got one dope lens, and then I also got another dope lens) For years I just shot and shot and shot and shot...being a little dejected that the photos of the ducks in the river in the early morning didn't turn out to be National Geographic quality. I always asked and begged for my parent’s honesty on how these pictures actually looked compared to great work - and I always felt butthurt about it. But now I know....it takes time to make a photo like Ben Knight makes a photo....and it took him time too. (LOOK UP BEN'S WEBSITE. He's a boss and the greatest mentor I have that hasn't given birth to me.  (www.benknight.com)

I started working "professionally" (getting paid to shoot some stuff, film some stuff in my town here and there) around 16 or 17 and what a gift living in a tiny little village with love for its youth, is. I tried my best to just check off my dreams of growing up in this town - it kind of happened. I shot for two years for my local paper, sang Bohemian Rhapsody in front of 600 people, ran a fashion show, starred in some plays with my best boys and gal pals, kept up the soccer rivalries across the state, and tried my best to make the best work I could, all the time. 

I've taken two years (basically) off after high school. My teachers and counsellors, and all the opinionated people in our town, really didn't want me to go out on my own. College is necessity, college is life, college is freedom (rinse and repeat rinse and repeat). It's what they believe and I don't agree.

...............

Working for myself, having the weight of my own dramatic universe on my shoulders, and trying to convince yourself you believe in every cause that hires you to make a film for them, just simply wasn't as glorious as I'd expected it to be. High expectations have been smashed clean open in this two years, and I really, honestly, don't think how anything else could have benefited me more. 

I'm out in Berkeley, California right now going to Expression College in Emeryville. It seems like i'm a hypocrite, but i'll always believe and do believe in college, but I do believe more in living the life that's right for you. 

Right now i'm shooting weddings across the summers, real estate when I can connect with the big boys well enough, photography and videography gigs, and overall trying every project and day to achieve the best work I have to this point. 

I love this stuff!! I love it as much as anyone else who's fully committed their life to whatever they believe in. If you want to do some work together, great! Haha. I'd love to talk and see what you have going on. 

I believe professionally i'm on a higher level than filmmaking - but filmmaking has more power and has a bigger constant learning curve. I can take photos all day long and will always love to do so. 

Thanks for even reading if you're still here. Go get something to eat and kick a soccer ball or something. 

Cheers and thanks for stopping by! Pheasant Pluck on.