I guess my work is described a lot of the time as very sensual and sexy. When I take a picture, I'm very focused on trying to discover something about a person. Or about an idea. I try to be quite successful at it.

Now I love the act of creating a new image. When everything comes together, it feels like ecstasy. It's like a climax.

I got into photography because of the immediacy of the medium. I used to sit in front of a canvas for weeks trying to create something. Now I can see the image right away.

My work was my life, and my life was my work, and there was a kind of blur between reality and what was being created.

I always like to meet the people I'm going to photograph. I need to have a conversation. I need to feel a vibe. I need to see what's going on in the person. I'm not just interested in physical beauty. I really need a personality.

I was never afraid of getting old. I remember being young and thinking, Wow, I can't wait until I'm older because I feel like everything is going to happen then. I don't want to sound pretentious or anything, but I'm always one of the first ones to say, "Let's try that."

I've had moments where I've felt like I was on another planet because I saw something beautiful. To me, taking pictures is being alive.