Why mentors? - [updated June 2022]
I will openly and happily admit that having a camera and being able to take a picture is only half of being a photographer. Understanding the technique is great, I know which way to spin wheels and dials and which buttons to press. But what most people inherently utilize through out their lives, either knowingly or unknowingly, are mentors. Photography is no different. Utilizing peer networks of experienced extremely talented photographers only helps to improve my ability to service my clients better each day. Thus completing the other half of the photography play-book.
Amy Milstein - my photography bff. Amy is obviously an incredibly talented photographer - she has carved out a career taking some amazing images from her base in Manhattan. Now moving in to her own studio, which is a photographers dream come true, Amy continues to excel and inspire me. Amy actually photographed both my wedding and renewal, each time capturing the event in breathtakingly stunning images. If you are in the NYC and want to see if Amy has availability, I couldn’t recommend her to you enough.
Andrew French - honestly some time you have to put your hand up and acknowledge that you were crazy lucky to become friends with some people. Andy is one of them. A veritable master in portrait photography, Andy has worked alongside some of the very very best photographers the world has to offer. And he chats away to me, pouring me long glasses of stories and experiences like we are bartender and patron in our own photography public house. Look him up, marvel at the people he’s photographed and the apparently effortless skill with which he’s captured their image. See if he’s got a slot available to take some pictures of you.
Kevin Mullins - what a guy. Kevin is in my opinion one of the photography worlds current heavy-weight-hitters. He delivers exactly what he says he will time after time, forging a near perfect work/life balance which allows him to provide his clients with the professional attention they all rightfully deserve. I’ve known Kevin for over a decade now, we do that thing were we chat then we don’t chat then we pick it back up like we only spoke a few day ago. I am yet to find a question he can’t answer with authority or a complex photography business decision he can’t turn in to a manageable set of tasks. Long Island is a long way from the English countryside, but commissioning Kevin to take your wedding photographs will leave you wanting for nothing from the results.
Ronan Gallagher - so here’s something cool. I knew Ronan before he was famous. Ronan actually taught me loads of the photography basics. When we used to hang out together he was an up and coming wedding photographer in Ireland, now he is regularly commissioned by luxury brands to complete their advertising needs. The author of at least a couple of books, one of which I have an early release signed by both him and his wife (also my friend and also an incredible photographer), Ronan continues to be a serious player in the world of photography.
So that’s why I proudly have mentors. I have been lucky enough to get some of the best with so much talent amongst them it’s hard not to absorb knowledge from them just from idly chatting over texts and DMs.
Links to each of my mentors websites are available on my About page.