- We know that your father was a great inspiration for you to become a photographer. What kind of relationship did you use to have with him? Was he willing for you to earn living from photography?

My dad was a professional photographer himself. He owned and operated a portrait/wedding studio in NYC and was dedicated to his craft and his customers. He taught me the value of service to his clients. His pursuit of client satisfaction was always apparent in his business philosophy. He would always say to me “make your customer  happy, and they will be a customer for life”. My dad was very supportive of my choice of careers. He put me through Art School here in NYC and that was pretty expensive at the time.

- Most people think that, in an artist's life, childhood is the most important part. How did those years effected you? What kind of photograph do you imagine when you think about your childhood?

I was a very adventurous kid. I would always explore new and exciting neighborhoods in NYC. I would ride the subway with my camera as a teenager and take portraits of strangers that I would meet on the street. It really was a big part of my photographic education, as well as developing my interest in the vast cultures of the city and the globe. It was my inspiration for doing my first book that comes out later this month: “NEW YORK CITY-the big city and it’s little Neighborhoods”

- You say 'Professional photography is in a constant state of change. The trick is to change with it.' Can you explain that statement?

In today’s fast moving global world, we are bombarded with new and exciting imagery everyday. From movies to magazines, from advertising to news papers, from paintings to illustrations, we are invited to view the world through many different interpretations of these image makers.  I believe image making is a layering process by which we build upon previous images and try to change it in some personal and provocative way.  Artists/photographers need to be current in the market they are entering. It is the same for any creative outlet—One other example is music. It works the same way.

- We meet Polaroid camera in 1947, electric guitar in 1948, laser technology in 1960... Then we landed on the moon in 1969, first heart implementation was successfully done in 1982, PC was released in 1983 and we finally ended up in 2000s... Today, we grow up and get old staring at computer screens, with bluetooth headphones in our ears, touch-operated cell phones in our pockets, and having children playing computer games by jumping and running in the middle of living rooms in front of huge, high definition televisions. How do you evaluate the near future of technology? Do you think these rapid developments effect our human values in a negative way?

You mention many great achievements for our culture. I can only speak for my own life and experiences on this. I have two boys ages 8 and 10 and I can tell you it is a struggle to get them to get away from the screen and go outside to play a game or a sport. They use video games as their “workout” and for them the outdoors is not their playground. I am definitely opposed to too much screen time but I think all of the technological advances you mentioned have made the world better in some way. We communicate globally now through the internet, education seems to be within the reach of the masses and I never get lost while I am driving!

- What kind of books, projects, websites and which artists or art movements inspire you?

I tend to read non-fiction books these days. You know, those historical, philosophical works that try to make sense of why the world works the way it does. I look at a lot of photography websites as well as music websites. I am in the process of learning to use the computer for music recording purposes right now. Learning new recording programs is my obsession for the near future.

- You live and work in New York City. If you had a second chance, would you choose to live in the same place and the same conditions like now, or would you prefer having a new, different life?

I love living in NYC. It has always felt like home to me. Other cities also intrigue me. There are many cities I have visited that have sparked my interest-L.A./Paris/London/Chicago. With today’s internet and global airline service, you can do business anywhere if you have a computer. I also like the desert. The Southwestern U.S. is one of the most spectacular places. It would be interesting to live in the southwest, at least, part time. But I would always have to come back the big apple. I have lots of friends here.

- Are you interested in cinema? Most people, even the expert ones defend that cinema entered the era of repetition and the unique ideas are diminishing. Day by day, we are confronted with the scripts and movies that resembling each other. Do you think that any kind of visual arts performance can ever come to an end?

I believe that the cinema will evolve but will always be around. There are many stories to be told and an audience who will always be interested in those stories. Cinema is an art form that in my estimation will always have some sort of place in our culture. I think the way we make movies will change. We may in the near future see a big increase in independent and low budget films. There are a lot of talented people who have access to cameras and computers who can put together a film for a lot less money than Hollywood can.

- We know that you are passionate about music. Nowadays, what genres and which artists do you prefer listening to? Does music change your mood dramatically while working?

I listen to Rock, Blues, Jazz, Alternative, Electronic. The artists range from The Beatles to The Killers to Robert Johnson and John Coltrane. Music has a big place for me in the creative process. It does in fact alter the way I work. When I am on set, I like really upbeat music. It just sets the mood for everyone and I seem to get more from the talent when they are happy and in the mood.

- ... and your Jazz NYC project.

Yes. I have been working on this project for about 10 years now. I do not anticipate that it will ever really end. I have photographed over 500+ of the most influential jazz musicians in the world and more photography is booked for the near future. My approach is a bit unorthodox in that most Jazz photographs were shot during the evening, of live performances in smokey bars and clubs. I took the opposite approach. I have photographed each of the musicians outside of the performance environment-in a studio- during daylight hours- using natural light. The result is unique and shockingly informative. I have not used a digital camera on this project, preferring to use traditional methods and adhering to old school processes.

- If you have limitless budget, what kind of personal project would you create and who would you like to work with?

I am starting to think about photographing the people who participate in extreme sports. This is an area that I would like to explore. I am intrigued by the lifestyle as well as the psychology of these athletes. I would photograph them in their sport as well as in their private spaces.

- Theme of our 15th issue is 'Love'. What does this word mean to you?

When I think of the word “Love”. I think of family. Obviously, your own family comes to mind, but I also think of the family of Man. We are all in this together and the sooner we realize we are all brothers and sisters on this planet, the better off we will be.