When did you first pick up a camera?

I first picked up a camera in regards to it intriguing me was when I was about nine years old. We would take family trips to Europe to countries such as Greece, Turkey, Cypress and many others, and my uncle would always have these film cameras made by Nikon and I would admire them.

Do you have specific influences in your work?

I have so many different creatives that influence me and my work. But to narrow down a vast list of names I would say Hans Feurer, Slim Aarons and Mario Sorrenti.

What would you say is your signature as a photographer?

My signature in regards to my own personal work would be sun soaked models either poolside or beachside as natural as possible.

How did you get started?

I was a cinematographer in the beginning stages of my career shooting a lot of music video sets when I just chatted with a model and I just began shooting her. From that point I shot models occasionally and then reached out to modeling agencies once my work and portfolio had gotten strong enough for me to reach out and begin testing. From there I learned how the fashion industry works.

What’s been the most surprising element of your job?

The most surprising thing is when I admire a certain subject they will reach out to me and want to work with me also how much their agency loves and admires my work.

Any other artistic medium you are interested to explore?

I would have to say filmmaking. My background comes from filmmaking, I was originally a cinematographer and editor. I’ve shot many music videos for Tyga, Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg, Nipsey Hussle and YG. I would love to someday get back to creating moving visuals. To be a person born and raised in Los Angeles and dreamt of creating music videos those dreams come true earlier in my career is definitely forever memorable.

What gets you off - literally and figuratively?

What gets me off is having to see the film negatives after a shoot and trusting my eye caught exactly what was the right moment.

You’re based out of LA - are there certain things in the city that has influenced you? What makes LA a special place for you?

I was born and raised in Los Angeles I am a child of Armenian immigrants. I grew up in East Hollywood where the Armenian diaspora first immigrated to so that certain section of Los Angeles I guess molded my thought process and my character.

Film or digital?

Both, but it would be 80% film and 20% digital. But it does not matter what you want to create with and what you can afford. If you have a vision you want to get out it does not matter what tool you use as long as that tool is right for you.

If you could choose any era to work in which would it be? Why?

The era I would pick would be the late 80’s and early 90’s the aesthetics, the style is just amazing especially photography wise. The type of models that were working, the type of photographers who were creating is just unmatched.

Who or what would be your dream subject to shoot?

I have so many different dream shoots, the modern day dream shoot would be Bella Hadid and a dream subject from the past would be Linda Evangelista. I also had a chance to shoot with Playboy Magazine and that was a dream as well. Would love to just shoot special subjects in general does not have to be a big name just a great subject.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

I would have to say the ego. I think sometimes the ego speaks first before our modesty.