Throughout my life people would ask me to describe myself, my response was always the same “I’m someone who has moxie.” Moxxii is a spin on the traditional spelling of the word “moxie”. The word fell out of fashion in modern society for many years, and I would have to explain it to many people. By definition, it means to have courage, know-how, and determination. It became a nickname of mine in creative circles and just stuck over the years. Moxxii is an energetic force, spirit, and foundation for the way I live my life.

As a photographer, I have a unique gift and the ability to stop time. With my camera, I capture moments of people, places, and things that I want to hold onto for eternity. These moments are special to me because they made me feel something…so much so that I was not only compelled to react, but also create. The pictures you see are my life. It’s that simple as well as complex. When I share my photography, I’m sharing part of my world and the feelings intertwined with it.

I started photographing as a teenager when I was in high school where I took a black and white film class. I learned everything from processing to development. There was no digital photography at that time. The camera I used was given to me by a family member and it wasn’t the greatest. I grew up very humbly and it needed many repairs, but I managed to make it work because I enjoyed the classes so much. In the darkroom I found other creatives like myself — tinkering away at their visions wanting to express them to others.

I paired my love of film with live music and would sneak my camera into clubs all throughout New York City, Connecticut, and beyond in the mid-’90s. Bands took notice and the rest is history, Moxxii was born. The foundation of my photography was born in tiny music clubs, squeezing close to the stage to get the best shot. I still continue to photograph bands, many of whom I’m fortunate enough to call friends.

Because my creative visions are a reflection of my life, you’ll see everything from portraits to street photography, landscapes, and beyond. I love taking portraits of people I find interesting and enjoy styling and art directing when collaborating with these special subjects. It’s great to be given complete freedom to create a vision that is exclusive and bespoke to them. Overall I prefer not to be confined to one category or genre. Why limit yourself when there’ s so much beauty around us?

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is to tune out trends, opinions, and other noise that doesn’t resonate with your core as an artist. I’m not a technical photographer and capture based on instinct, composition, and emotion. My images may have high grain or be less than sharp, which can be frowned upon in the modern commercial world. I choose to photograph as a way to connect with others as well as myself and not interested in pleasing publications, but serving the moment in its most authentic form. Personally, I find modern photography standards to be so fabricated, that less is more for me. If an image is so sharp that it looks like I can break it in half, the emotion is robbed from the moment and it’s almost a disservice. Know your limitations as a photographer, and work with those as your strengths. It will differentiate you and attract the right opportunities you are looking for.

The power of mentors. Mentors are the most important teachers and supporters in one’s journey behind the lens. They’ve been through it and managed to navigate unknown terrains to be triumphant in their artistic journey. They are rich with knowledge, support, and my favorite — stories. I love to surround myself with storytellers and learn so much from them.