My mom had seven kids in seven years, and then she had me 11 years later. So when I was born, my oldest brother was 18. And my youngest brother was 11. By the time I was 7 or 8, everyone had moved out. I went from being with ten people all the time to being an only child. It really freaked me out.

Most of the e-mails I get nowadays are from students who ask me how I got my start. In truth its from having a really supportive family but also having a good patron who will help you - like financing all those early trips I took.

There was no luxury. I never got on an airplane until I was 18. We drove everywhere. My dad was like, "Waste not, want not."

I didn't have to be friends with people who were into pop music.

When I moved to New York, I was still in the closet.

It's weird being a photographer because you really have to divorce yourself from the image.

A lot of people, even my parents, thought, "Art school, I don't know. We'll support you but the success rate for artists is really slim."