Did you have any other jobs at this time or were you now kind of chasing the dream and putting your full focus into photography and design work? 

“I also designed logos and other artwork / photography, but photography really sparked my interest. It was a fun thing to be a part of.  My mother owned the biggest printer in San Diego, so I grew up around the presses and that caught my interests. I was around a bunch of people in that specific industry and I was able to get a job in the printing world while I was in high school and learn how things went around there. How magazines were made, and fashion catalogs were put together, I learned how to do all of that.  That kick started me and stayed in that creative trade most of my career, but I also worked for general dynamics for a period of time and I worked on a cruise missile program which didn’t have anything to do with being creative.  I always kept a side business going to make extra money, I had a higher paying job to pay expenses and then would do the creative stuff that I enjoyed just to stay in it.”

The motorcycle industry in general, seems difficult to land a high-paying full-time job that you can rely on to pay bills and other expenses, did you always have a side gig, or did you eventually figure it out and go all-in? 

“I am from a family of workaholics; I have always been open to working.  I love working and I love doing things, I like creating things.  At the time, unless you worked for a magazine, a lot of the guys were part timers even the good ones and not crushing it money wise.  I developed a taste for making money really early in my life. I liked being able to buy a new motorcycle or a new car and liked to live in my own place, not an animal house with 4 guys.  Income part was important to me, not everything but enough to live the way I wanted too.  But money was not the motivator for me as far as photography and creating goes.  That is my passion and I just wanted to put out great work. I always believed the money would come if your work is good and you stick with it. I always focused on mastering the fundamentals, if you master those and the consistency of the work comes out, that is what carries to the next gig.  During my career I almost never promoted or advertised, I just made sure I put out quality work.  Being consistent, being creative and bringing your A-game to the party. That’s what lands gigs.”

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