It's always more comforting to know that in any given corner of any room or any location you're on, you can make a photograph that you'll appreciate.

For me, the most important thing I learned was just honing my eye. I think I had a good eye.

I'm pretty selective. I generally edit the contact sheets and then do work prints. Because I have my own lab and printers, I can afford the luxury of going through the contact sheets for black-and-white, making up work prints, seeing them big, and honing them down.

What I particularly liked was that, coming from California and not being involved in the New York scene, I developed my personal way, in my own way, at my own pace.

And what excites me most is the type of public, the fact that the Parisian people have a broader cultural understanding than many Americans do.

Even though I didn't get a business degree, I enjoyed learning about economics.

Each time I did assignments or editorials, I realized that I wanted to do something more. I saw that it wasn't just about the clothes.