Whatever emotions you're going through, you somehow seek out the people that are going through similar emotions or that maybe have something you need.

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.

Actually, I didn't study photography at first. I went to school for painting my first year, poetry my second year, graphic design my third and fourth year, and photography my fifth.

When I was in art school, the photo kids were separated from the rest. If you did sculpture or painting or graphic design, you were all taking the same classes, but the photographers just went straight into photography.

Whatever emotions you're going through, you somehow seek out the people that are going through similar emotions or that maybe have something you need.

A lot of my close friends have committed suicide or died of heroin overdoses.

I went through a pretty big David Bowie period when I was younger, and that has affected me profoundly in my life and my work.