Roxy
Roxy is a photographer first, but she’s not a photographer only: everything she does tells a story.
Get to know her a little bit, and think of the stories she could help you tell.
how did you get started doing creative work full-time?
I started working for a guy who was a wedding photographer in Miami who also did photo booths at weddings. So I would go and set up these photo booths and man them all night. That eventually snowballed into me assisting him at weddings (let’s be real. I was carrying gear.}, but then eventually i started second shooting for him. It all just kind of unfolded from there.
what kind of work brings you the most personal fulfillment?
Right now the work that's bringing me the most enjoyment is collaborative work with friends. I love sparring about different creative ideas and opinions and bringing something to life that we are all proud of and can get behind.
most people know you from your photography. what goes into composing compelling images?
In the world we live in today we probably see hundreds, if not thousands of images, so a compelling image to me is one that literally makes me stop scrolling. I love an image that makes me feel like i can see the trust between two artists—the one in front and the one behind a camera. Those tend to be the most emotional, too—whether it's portraying joy or sadness or something in the middle. A compelling image to me is one where it tells me a story and not one where it’s like “okay cool that’s an energetic wide shot,” you know? Ah, I’m rambling now.
when you’re on tour, you’re more than just a photographer. you’re a documentarian. why’s that important?
I love stories. I love reading epic, sweeping novels and watching films. And I’m constantly looking for a through-line with my photo and video work. How can I show what a night felt like in one singular image or in a 2-minute video? A friend of mine calls me her documentarian—If I’m with an artist I'll take field recordings on my phone of them speaking or playing the piano because it can end up being something we could use later down the line. I think the role of a storyteller especially in the landscape of our world is super important. I document so that I won't forget, and I want the people I’m documenting and creating with to also have a tangible reminder of what we experienced.
what does a dream project look like to you?
I feel like I’m living in that right now. I've always wanted to collaborate and create with friends and people that I love and respect. So getting to do that the past few years has been a dream come true. I love the back-and-forth of creative brainstorming and ideation. I also love coming into projects where people are like "yeah there's no shot list, just do what you do." That gives me a lot of freedom.
how do you think creatives and artists evolve as they practice their craft? how have you seen that in yourself?
If you would've told me three years ago that I would also be doing video. I would've laughed in your face. I’m by no means a great videographer (I'm definitely still learning and failing and getting back up and trying again) but I love how my work has evolved from just shooting still images into doing more video work. Like we spoke about earlier, it has been a great way of expanding storytelling for me.
as you’re looking into your creative future, what do you hope you see?
More work with people I love.
Okay also, honestly, I wanna work for Paramore and Taylor Swift, so I wouldn't hate to see that happen also.
what advice do you have for people wanting to get into creative work?
Don’t quit.
And be okay with shitty first drafts. We all have to start somewhere.
