"I came to photography later than my other artistic endeavors, at the right time for the computer technology to be there for what I want to do. I can't just think in simple photographic terms. I have to be able to change it expressively. I was first drawn to photography books in bookstores. I felt nourished when I would find some young man appear in there that stirred my soul. I loved taking a break from my life to go into the photography books and feel renewed and invigorated by art. I sought out surreal images, taking me into unfamiliarity within the most familiar deeep part of my being. You know, iF I found MY art in those bookshelves, I would want them all. I would get all lit up and go wild in my heart. But I wouldn't be able to afford to buy one yet. I started manipulating images on Photoshop when making some videos. Capturing the still images, I wanted to make each scene in the video perfect. I was inspired by filmakers such as the Russian film director Serhiy Paradzhanov..."