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How did you manage to balance being a professional photographer and a full time student at the same time?
To be honest, looking back, I'm not so sure myself (laughs). It was all such an adventure. Though it was difficult trying to schedule shoots between classes and running to the computer lab during breaks to respond to emails, I somehow made it happen. The thought of clients knowing that I was a student and not wanting to hire for fear that I wasn't "experienced enough" was part of my motivation to be better. I wanted to mix in as best as possible, except for when I couldn't get into industry parties cause I was too young, yeah that definitely put my business out there.

There many great advantages though. The greatest benefits were probably being able to absorb theory in class and exhibit practical application on set. Being apart of the intimate yet distant experience of photographing someone you've never met and making it looking like you've been friends for a lifetime, that photographer to subject chemistry, the things you can't learn from professors yet being able to hang photographs of celebrities on walls for a class critique, bringing it right back full circle.

Today, its still an adventure. I enjoy the adventure of "the hustle", seeking clients, creating relationships and creating work that people want to look at.

What inspires you to create the images that you produce?
Two Things:

I am inspired by my peers. I am inspired by competition. I love being up against another photographer/colleague for the same project. It's never any hard feelings on the part of the photographer who didn't get the job because we all understand the nature of the race to the finish line. We all want success for each other.

Also, A long time ago, my mentor told me that, "one can only photograph that which he feels closest too, that photography is a spiritual experience and we are drawn to pick up a camera and record a reflection of what is naturally within us." We photograph that which makes us feel good or bad, the things that inspire us to be, that things that make us feel and ultimately force the viewer feel. For every photographer, those "things" are different. I am totally inspired by people. People make me "feel". They make me happy, sad, inspired, and indifferent. It's kinda like a reactive response in me to capture that feeling. As my dear Susan Sontag would've said photography is a reflection of the photographer as well as a recording of the photographed. I love the many unique complexities that make up a person. I love to know about their lives and what brought them to the current place where they stand. I like to photograph these things about them, the things that make people who they are. I love meeting new people with every shoot and learning something about them and sometimes about myself in the process. I especially love photographing celebrities because I like to try to find the real person beneath the facade. Often times society doesn't allow celebrities to be people and if so penalizes them for it. It's always a great when you can look at an image of a celebrity and instantly relate to it.

Wow, I can imagine. Speaking of celebrities, you've photographed quite a bit. With whom did you have your greatest experience?
Well, they are honestly all, great experiences, most of my subject matter is music based and its always cool meeting new and more seasoned artists and comparing the differences in the way they conduct themselves and the feeling of history in their conversation. I have to say that after having the opportunity to photograph people like B.B. King, and U2's The Edge, I felt as though my career was going a step or two above in a more mature direction. Photography is great because it takes you into the lives of others and into places you may never have had the chance to be otherwise. For example, some years ago, I was fortunate enough to photograph Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee in their home shortly before he passed away. I also photographed Ed Bradley a number of months before his passing as well. I always understood the importance of photography as far as the recording of time and history but it wasn't until then that I truly understood the depth of what I did. To be able to photograph living legends of a time before my parents even met was most amazing. More so, than any current pop singer, which I enjoy doing, but this was like a totally different level.

Do you approach your work differently now?
Oh most definitely. I think more about the longevity not only of my career, which has its own life, but also about the longevity of the work. When all things pass, the work must remain timeless and unchanged in its ability to allow people to feel, the same way I felt when I created it. I am am artist, like Avedon, like Bob Marley, like Martha Graham. We are all here to capture a feeling and preserve it within a genre of the arts.

That's amazing Rayon. I feel the same way. Like the song fame "I wanna live forever, I wanna learn how to fly". It's not necessarily the person that lives forever but the work that continues...
That's right, 100 years from now when my copyright has expired hopefully the work will be living and flying high all over the place (laughs).

Where do you see yourself and your work 5-6 years from now?
Well, in the entire length of my career I have never had any representation so at this moment that is a major goal of mine. I'd like to step up the level of work I'm shooting. My work is generally editorial, advertorial and record label based, but I'd love to see my work on a billboard speeding down I-95 or running through the train station. I love walking into music store (do people still do that?) and seeing my work. Photography sells and I love being part of the driving force behind the commerce.

I am also looking in the direction of being a director/director of photography on music videos and films. I hate sitting on the couch switching between MTV and my tivoed episodes of Oprah and feeling like a great song wasn't done proper visual justice. It hurts sometimes to see, but if I guess if it evokes a feeling in me then it can be such a bad thing. Right?