THE PHOTOGRAPHER

INTERVIEW FROM PROJECT GIRL CRUSH

GC:  What shall we call you? 

People in the business call me coco.  I like that.  My closest call me conn.  I love that. 

GC:  What is your profession, and how did you find yourself there?

When I was 23 I backpacked for 3 months thru Southeast Asia.  The day I left my dad gave me his old Pentax k1000 and a brick of Kodak film from Costco.  I was reluctant to take it because it was heavy but he insisted.  Before that trip i have never explored a camera and definitely not a manual one.  When I got back to develop the film, half of it turned out completely black and the others turned out quite nice.  That bothered me so I immediately enrolled in a night school program for photography 101 to learn how to expose film.  At that point I was hooked.  I started photographing everything. 

GC:  What inspires you to get up in the morning?  

Tough question because I hate getting up in the morning.  So I’ll have to go with…I love starting a new day.

GC:  What challenges have you met in chasing your inspiration?  

I would have to say the biggest challenge for me is the fact that I’m quiet.  My soft voice is often miscommunicated and interpreted as not confident in my job or a lack the ability to run a crew.  I have lost jobs because of my quiet demeanor.  The truth is, I don’t believe in barking orders at my guys.  I feel that strong non-verbal communication is the most important to me when I pick my team.  I want to be able to look at them and give them a head nod and we both understand what needs to be done.  I choose to work with assistants that I respect as shooters and I view them my peers.

GC:  What’s a fantastic piece of advice you have been given in your life, and who gave it to you? 

My dad gave me advice once when I was in elementary school.  He was dropping me off in the morning and the janitor was outside doing some yard work.  He asked me if I knew his name.  I said no.  He told me i have something in common with everyone.  And if you don’t know what it is then find it.   He told me that it’s just as important to know the janitor of the building as it is to know the CEO of a company.  He was right.

GC:  What book have you read in the last year that you love?

The canon 5dmarkiii manual.

GC:  Tell me something pretty. A quote, a lyric, whatever it is that inspires you.  

'Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get.  But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen'.  - Conan

GC:  What are you listening to on your iPod/car stereo/transistor radio right now?

There are currently 5 cd’s in rotation in my car.  1.  Little Joy  2.  The new Kanye   3. Ted Narcotic - Ted gave it to me while I was in his cab going home to Beacon Hill.  So incredibly bad that it’s almost good.  4.  I stole a Country Lips cd off my brother’s desk of his's bands new album.     5.  Classic Cuban salsa mix with all the old cats like Tito Puentes, Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco… my favorites.  

GC:  Do you have a specific space that helps you feel inspired? What does it look and feel like?

My favorite place in the world that brings me back to center is a small beach on the Westside of Oahu called Third Dip.  There are no buildings, tourists, nothing.  Just a gorgeous beach where locals go to fish.  When I’m there it helps me remember that I don’t need anything but quality people in my life.  I go there every year and it helps me reflect on what I have done since I’ve been there last and what I want to do after I leave.