"This is a man's world"

Back in May, my dad met a [Portland] photographer who offered to help and "mentor" me as much as he could on my journey to NYC and finding a photographer to intern with.

His suggestion was to go through fashion magazines and make a list of all the photographers that caught my eye. I was then to give him the list (assuming they lived/worked in NYC) and he would get in touch with his agent to see if he could arrange a interview or a job for me with said photographer(s).

I have taken his advice and have now gone through three magazines. Yes, only three. I didn't want to spend money on any new magazines when I knew we had a few at home. I went through: In Style, Vogue, and Marie Claire. I tore out easily 100 pages of photos that really inspire me. At this time, I'm really excited by editorial work but am also looking to get into some beauty work and the occasional commercial work, but mostly just to pay the bills.

All of that is besides the point.

I have now compiled a list of 11 photographers all who's work I admire, and would be honored to work with. I have not taken the time just yet to see if they are in NYC- that's next on my "to-do" list.

All of them are men.

(hence the James Brown quote)

I exclude Annie Leibovitz from this list because as much as I would die to speak to her, let alone work with her- I'm being realistic: that will never happen.

It baffles (and bothers) me that in our society today, and in such a creative field, it is still dominated by men. I feel like if I wanted to be a lawyer, or a Wall Street tycoon, this might not bother me so much (not to say that women can't do those jobs, and do them damn well).

Especially considering the amount of models, marketing, etc, are women.

More often than not, when I work with a [female] model- they compliment me on how easy it is to work with me, and how refreshing it is to shoot with a woman. How a woman doesn't use words like "that's hot" or "sexy" when describing how a shot should or does look. We use words like "beautiful", or "elegant".

*** To all of my male photographer friends: I mean no disrespect to you, I still admire you and am forever grateful that I know you.***

I am now on a mission:

Find a NYC woman photographer to intern with.

Perhaps that's setting the bar a little high for myself?

Perhaps working with a women would be worse? (because we all know how women can be sometimes ;) Regardless, I'm going to at least make an attempt to work with a woman.

And furthermore, this has sparked a fire inside me that will continue to fuel me to be a great, well-known, WOMAN photographer.

Watch out world. Abbey Corbett is about to make a difference.