Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: I just encountered things where they made me so aware of, like how different we all live and how lucky we are to be alive every day, but like how lucky we are to be able to learn from other cultures. That for me was one of those big things, you know, And I think that's maybe how you grow to be present, to absorb all of that and then obviously look, I always wanted to absorb it and capture it, you know what I mean?
[00:00:27] Speaker B: In the images then welcome to Came.
[00:00:31] Speaker C: Here to Love, a podcast hosted by me, Liz Logan where we explore heart centered conversations with visionary leaders from around the world. This podcast is a journey into wisdom, a path to transformation and an invitation to catch the highest vibration of all. Love elevating our lives and connecting us more deeply to ourselves and the world around us. Our mission is simple to live with passion, align with purpose, and spread more love. In each episode we invite compassionate leaders to share insights, personal breakthroughs and and heart inspired ideas that impact change not only in our own lives, but also in our communities and the world beyond. Whether you're seeking new perspectives, deeper connection, or a sense of purpose, Came Here to Love offers transformative insights that inspire, enlighten and remind us all why we're here to love.
[00:01:26] Speaker D: Photographer Ann Minke occupies the unique realm where high fashion meets bohemian travel and a free spirit. Her editorial work for Mac magazines including Vogue, W, Sports Illustrated, Esquire, Elle, InStyle, Travel and Leisure, Conde, Nest, Traveler and Mary Claire, along with many more, eludes a sense of glamour, often amidst a backdrop of far flung exotic locales. She's been on top of mountains in Peru and has held beauty contests on the plains of Mongolia. Her eye for the authentic Somehow she's an insider wherever she goes, has informed her campaigns for clients including Tommy Hilfiger, Nine West, Kat Clarins, L'Oreal, Aveda, Banana Republic, Clarins, Ralph Lauren, Macy's, J. Crew, Nike, Wrangler, Lee jeans and Hushpuppies. Minky was born in Germany and has lived and worked in London, Paris and New York. Currently, she splits her time between New York City and Sayulita, Mexico, where she surfs and charters a green school, the Costa Verde International School Project. Mexico is also the perfect base for her frequent photography excursions. In 2001, Minkie published a photography book, Our New York, in conjunction with Tommy Hilfiger. Her second book was published in 2012, titled See the World Beautiful and is about her personal work from at least 15 years. Over the last years, she's exhibited in New York, San Francisco and Mexico. She's Currently working on another book about Mexico. We welcome her to Came Here to Love.
[00:03:02] Speaker B: This is Came Here to Love and this podcast. The reason I'm doing this is it's really about rising the vibrational frequency. To love. So how can we actually step into our full essence and how can we actually love the life that we're living and really be in a space of love as the essence of who we are, as opposed to love as the action, but love as really who we are. And your work reminds me so much of that exact lesson because I feel like you come from such a deep lens of passion. But tell us like, how did you even get into this? Because you're pretty world famous photographer at this point, but obviously you didn't start out that way. So take us back.
[00:03:43] Speaker A: I'm trying to make this short because it's a long time ago.
[00:03:45] Speaker B: It doesn't have to be.
[00:03:47] Speaker A: I'm German, was born in a small town in Germany called Vitlich. Nobody knows that place. And Yeah, I was 9 or 10 years old and I took my dad's camera and I ran through a whole film and he was like, no, no, no, you can't just take pictures. It costs money, you know. And I kept on doing this and really liking it. And literally by age 12, I said, I want to be a photographer. And wow. People didn't take it that serious, but they're like, oh yeah, look, if you like it. I mean, it started then as a hobby, you know, I got a dark room and I was still living in this little town. And then with 14, I went to boarding school and left my hometown to a little bit bigger town. And then in that boarding school I ran kind of like the, you know, the little afternoon classes for photography. I also always did ballet. That was my big other passion, to be a ballerina. But then I had decided, you know what, now let's stick to the photography thing. When I was 16, I finished basically middle school and decided to do an apprenticeship which in Germany or in Europe, that was a way of doing education instead of studying. A lot of people said to me, don't you want to study? There's famous photos schools in Germany. And I was like, you know what? No, I'm going to make an apprenticeship. And I did actually funny voice, stayed in my little or that medium sized town where I was at the time and like did an apprenticeship with a, it's a wedding photographer while I was working there and made my way up like slowly into being able to even shoot something in the studio. Maybe the Second year end, there was like a break and I went into the waiting room where the people would wait for there until they turn they. There was a German Vogue line there and I picked it up and I said to my colleague, I said, you know what, that's what I'm going to do. I want to be a fashion photographer and I'm going to shoot for Vogue. I think she their eyes and was like, yeah, you know, whatever, you know.
[00:05:41] Speaker B: Yeah, good luck with that.
[00:05:42] Speaker A: Exactly. And I kind of, you know, after three years, like did my exam, you know, had my stamp as being a photographer. I already had like in mind. I'm going to go to Dusseldorf or to Munich to figure out I'm going to assist fashion photographers. I did that afterwards for like a year or two, worked on my portfolio and basically went out a job and the snowball started rolling. It didn't stop. And then I moved to Paris when I was 21 and.
[00:06:09] Speaker B: Yeah, you moved to Paris when you were 21.
[00:06:12] Speaker A: But then think about it, it was only a four hour drive from Dusseldorf. So it wasn't, you know what I mean? It wasn't a big. Yeah, but still like how romantic door, you know. So yeah, I had French in school, so I spoke a little French. Yeah. And then, you know, that was my next step because I felt like if I really want to make it, I need to go somewhere where it's bigger, you know, Germany has a fashion scene but it's obviously not the same as the one, you know.
[00:06:36] Speaker B: Yeah. And you want exposure. So you moved to Paris at 21. That to me is like so romantic within itself. But you get there at that time.
[00:06:46] Speaker A: It was really romantic. It was kind of like, you know, it was still this like dream. And I remember going, I arrived there and I was like, like within a week I was like, the French know how to live joie de vivre, you know, they are cool. You know, Germans are so boring and it's so amazing here and it's interesting. I lived there for five years and within a five years I started speaking a language fluent. And trust me, after five years I could tell you that, you know what, it's exactly the same. It's just different. You know, it's romantic there and then it's not the same anymore once you're really involved.
[00:07:21] Speaker B: Yeah. As is life, I think slightly different.
[00:07:24] Speaker A: But you know, there's still. Everybody has their edges that you don't like, you know.
[00:07:28] Speaker B: Exactly. I think that's life that it's so romanticized at first and then we get Deeper into the layers of where we are. And it's like, oh, wait, this place is just the same as ever everywhere else in terms of all of the things that come with it. What was the first shoot that you did for Vogue? I had.
[00:07:44] Speaker A: This is a funny story, actually. So I assisted two or three photographers that worked already for Vogue when. When I was like, you know, 19 years old, you know, and I kind of got a little bit into this world. I got an agent in Germany. She was quite connected and famous at the time. She picked me up young. She saw, you know, whatever, like, the talent, she liked it and said, like, okay, I'm going to pick you up. She had a connection to the editor of Ital Vogue. And she always said, like, you know, you gotta work with Anna. You gotta work with Anna. And we started out with Vogue Bambini, which it doesn't exist anymore, but at that time was the kids Vogue, right? Only to attach, okay, obviously, you know, with this style. And I shot for her and I got immediately the COVID And that turned into me suddenly being, you know, the Vogue bambini photographer. And I shot like every cover probably for like three years. I was constantly, you know, shooting all the stories and all of that. And then I had a friend, and that was actually. Or it wasn't a friend. She turned very. She's now 30 years my friend. I had a phone call. Because, look at this time, everything was phone calls. Everything was.
[00:08:53] Speaker B: Yeah, well, even when you were talking.
[00:08:55] Speaker A: Magazines that you saw people, it was. It has, you know, there was nothing online anywhere. It didn't exist. Like, we still send it fax messages, you know what I mean, on the way of communication. So I got a phone call from a lady from Holland. Her name is Martin Malema. And she called me and she said, you know what? I saw your work and I can tell you, you are such an amazing kids photographer. And I think if you're so amazing with kids, you'll be amazing for adults. And she was the editor fashion director at Dutch Elle at the time. So she gave me my real adult editorial. And then I started shooting with her and we did a few stories. And then the Bokambini editor went to Spanish Folk. Then I went with her and started working for Spanish Vogue. And then the art director from there went to Japanese Folk. So I. I kind of like then was in that world. And yeah, then you work with the people, you know, and you love and they trust you and they, you know, that's how it goes.
[00:09:51] Speaker B: And what was there one point in that journey that you were like, wow, I've arrived. Like I've gotten to the place. Was that there a moment?
[00:09:59] Speaker A: Really funny. I think the arrived. I feel like you never arrive.
[00:10:04] Speaker B: Yeah, I love that answer, you know.
[00:10:06] Speaker A: Really, honestly, I feel like it always goes further. It's still, I still have that, right. I. I can tell you that I think when I look back, I did everything I wanted to do in my career, so way, yes, I somehow arrived. But if you have a passion, you. It never ends, right?
[00:10:23] Speaker B: No, I love that.
[00:10:23] Speaker A: It's an endless Camino, you know, so it's. That's how I see it. I don't know. But there was a point, I have to say. So this, this first Volk Bambini cover, that is the first moment where when you get a cover of a magazine, then it's like, wow. You know, that was. Wow. Where I was like, I did it. It was like one thing I wanted to do and I did it right. But then again it keeps going because.
[00:10:47] Speaker B: Yeah, but it's like a pinch. It's kind of a pinch yourself moment of like, wow, this just really happened. And that's my photography. What was the actual photo? The first cover that.
[00:10:57] Speaker A: You know, what is the worst. It's gone. Because here's the thing that I, in the whole, in my whole career, I was really bad at. I archived obviously everything, you know, starting at a certain point. Because in the beginning you're a little bit loose, I think is like, you know, it's all negatives and like you stuff. But there was a lot of stuff shot on like. Yeah, it's, it's. Anyway, I don't have everything anymore. And then digital started. Most photographers that were good at archiving immediately scanned everything and I didn't. So I actually have. From my agent from that time, like really bad scans off covers. But they are again somewhere on a drive and I live in.
[00:11:39] Speaker B: I would love to get those out.
[00:11:41] Speaker A: Trust me, I know I have a lot and I have obviously my most important negatives. They're all in New York in a storage and it's all, it's all scanned. But there's a lot of old work where I was like, oh, I wish I would have scanned this. You know, I did hundreds of campaigns of Tommy Hilfiger. We took the negatives and we cut them and threw them away because it was. There were so many boxes that you couldn't.
[00:12:03] Speaker B: Yeah, it would have been like an.
[00:12:06] Speaker A: Apartment by now, you know, that would be boxes.
[00:12:09] Speaker B: But. But it's actually interesting because a lot of People that are listening don't even know the process of what photography was back in the day. And you're in a dark room using real film. So. So how, how has the process changed over the years? Because that's where you started.
[00:12:26] Speaker A: I think I'm actually still trying to mentor young photo that way. People assist me. I really try and push them to at least shoot a little bit of film. There is, actually. I think you can see it in a lot of ways. Like there's a lot of back to analog, I think, even in music.
[00:12:44] Speaker B: I agree.
[00:12:45] Speaker A: So people are going back to it. I think young photographers are definitely going back to it. And I think it's great to do it, just to understand the feeling. And I think there's a great place for digital photography too. I mean, there's an amazing place thing about the fast. You know, it actually digital photography opened the doors to a lot of young people being a photographer. Like, of course, it was so much money investing, printing, everything, and then you had to show it, and then you had to have 10 books to show different people. And, you know, there was a. I think there was a limitation of who could actually do it, you know, who could access it.
[00:13:20] Speaker B: Expensive, you know, no, of course, no.
[00:13:22] Speaker A: I think that the process was. Was. There was a time, I think it's maybe for me now, 15 years ago, and I shoot for over 30. Or, you know, when you go, yes, yeah, yes. You know, I'm 57. So it was definitely, let's say, 15 years ago where I had to switch, right. Where I had clients that still accepted to shoot on film, but then they said, you know, no more.
[00:13:47] Speaker B: And then please put me to digital. No.
[00:13:49] Speaker A: And trust me, it was a process. It was really hard for me. And it took me a long time to find myself in digital. And I. I have now moments where I'm like, oh, it's actually good like that. Yeah, yeah. But I watch good film too, so I do both.
[00:14:03] Speaker B: It's amazing to watch you in motion. I think that's like an art form within itself, is to actually watch how you're capturing what you're capturing. Because to the naked eye, for all of us layman people that don't know what to do behind a camera, we're seeing one thing. But then when you showed me the captured images that you were getting, it was unbelievable how you were framing the frame and how you were actually capturing what the scene was that we were looking at. And I know that's a given talent that you've had, but I have so Many questions. So one of my questions is, if you could go back to your young self, what would you want to tell that younger version of yourself? Is there anything that you would go back?
[00:14:47] Speaker A: Yeah, I thought about that. For me, I would do nothing different. I have zero regrets in my life. Nothing ever did. But there's this one little thing that I learned, actually, since COVID Okay, we spoke about that when I saw you last year. It's this thing that Covid was for me, like, the stop. And I'm a person. I never stop. I'm like, I know I have all these ideas, and I do so many things. And the love for me that I live is like, I do a lot for other people, and I love that. And I live through that. And I enjoy. Right. And learning through this process. But the one thing that I would tell myself, if I could go back, slow down a little bit, a little bit more time, I think I've done so many things, and I wish some of them I would have taken a little bit more time.
[00:15:40] Speaker B: I love that savor.
[00:15:41] Speaker A: But I also think, again, it's never too late, you know, so I'm doing it now. But it's also this thing. It comes naturally, I think. For me, I think it's natural. The way I did it was how I was raised, how I saw the world, and I see them all different now. You know, there was a lot of beliefs that come with how you grow up in the culture you grew up, and maybe what your parents told you, what your surroundings tell you, then you grow. And as we get older, we grow and learn these things. And I definitely learned over the last five years that taking time is really important to me now. No.
[00:16:19] Speaker B: And I think living in Mexico, which is where you are currently living, you're living here full time, right? I mean, yeah, since 20 years. Yeah. Yeah. But I think. I think the life at the beach, the beach life in Mexico also allows that slower pace that. That remembering of, wait, we don't have to do things so quickly, and we can savor a little more and we can catch one more wave, and we can, you know, enjoy a longer life.
[00:16:46] Speaker A: You know, that's an interesting thing is, you see, I. I came here, Johan and I came here 25 years. The first time was, like, 29 years ago, but then we bought land 25 years ago. So it was in 2000. And I think my vision was, I'm going to move to Mexico full time. I'll still work a little bit, but I have more time. Right. So I was craving that Already by the age of, like. You know what I mean? 35.
[00:17:13] Speaker B: Well, you're hustling in the industry you were in, but I was still falling.
[00:17:18] Speaker A: Back, you know what I mean, into this thing. Like, okay, I take another job. Oh, yeah. I take this job, or I really want to do this job. Oh, I really want to do this shoot, because I really want to do it. So, look, I lived the perfect life, trust me, and I'm totally happy. But like I said, there were. There's this little thing that still made me do a lot of things that if I would have known, but I know now, I'd be like, maybe I should have just one thing less, you know, have actually more time, you know?
[00:17:43] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:17:44] Speaker A: Again, I think it's great the way it happened.
[00:17:46] Speaker B: So it is totally. Totally. It is what it is. A favorite person that you shot over the years that. Oh, my gosh, you love.
[00:17:53] Speaker A: It's very hard to say one person, because I think. And you've seen this in. In. In my work, it's all about people. I think I'm inspired by people and look and nature, the outside world. Right. So you. I wanted to actually sit with the computer outside because that would be natural to me. But then I was like, it's too noisy. It doesn't work.
[00:18:11] Speaker B: So you can go outside.
[00:18:13] Speaker A: Yeah. So then I had a few encounters of very interesting people. I shot a few celebrities that were really interesting. I worked with a lot of models that turned very close friends.
[00:18:26] Speaker B: One of the things that I think, because you were shooting a fisherman in a local village when we were together, and the thing that I loved watching that I do feel like you do probably with every person, whether they're famous models or actresses or just the local fishermen. I feel like you capture the soul essence of a person. Like, you really bring to life their light. You know, I always say we're all. We're all carrying around this internal light, and it's amplified by, you know, joy and love and compassion and harmony in the world. And you can tell when somebody has a really strong light force. But behind the camera, I feel like what you were able to. And I've seen this in your work, just all of your work that I've seen. You capture the soul essence of a person. You really do that amazingly well.
[00:19:16] Speaker A: This is when you mentioned the fishermen. It's like, for me, I just love people. I love human beings. It's like, I love going anywhere. My kids always say to me, man, why you talk to everybody? I'm like, why not? If you talk to them, then it's just like, you get a piece of information, don't. It's going to be like, you don't know anything. We did a trip to Africa five years ago and we got to Senegal. We landed at like three in the morning, I think at one in the morning. We were at three at the hotel and I was like, sunrise is at 5:30. I got up and I went out and I talked to people. I speak French, so it was easy to talk to local people in Senegal. And it was amazing. And I came back and the kids were like, what did you do out there? I was like, oh, I just walked around, I took some pictures and I was talking to people and they're like, huh?
[00:20:03] Speaker B: They're like, what?
[00:20:04] Speaker A: Why? I was trying to teach them now because they're young, right. I'm always like, no, if you want to know something, you got to ask, you got to go. And I just think for me, I think this is what made me happy my whole life, was the connection. It doesn't matter where I went to try and see how people live, what they do and talk to them well.
[00:20:23] Speaker B: And you neutralize the territory. It's like you don't see people as different than yourself. You're very inclusive in your interactions with people. So it's very easy to work with you from the photography angle because you make us all feel human. You know, we feel important and seen. And I think that's what's so cool about your work is you make people feel seen and you capture this, whatever the scene is that you're shooting, you capture it really well from that lens. As opposed to doing photography to be beautiful, you know, it's a, it's a different lens for me, it's a different lens of beautiful. You end up in stunning and gorgeous photography.
[00:21:06] Speaker A: I've been, you know what you just said too. It's like, I think, you know how I did fashion photography my whole life? I mean, advertising, fashion repairs, but like my heart, where I started, that's how I got into photography. Already when I was like 12, I looked at old reputage photography, which was documentary style.
[00:21:25] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:21:26] Speaker A: I think when I got into fashion, I was inspired obviously by Peter Lindbergh and people that kind of had more that feeling to it. And I think that that's the whole thing about, for me I was, if, if you would put me in a studio and just do something glamorous, I can do that and set gorgeous light and it could be fun for a day, right?
[00:21:43] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:21:44] Speaker A: But if I would have to do this for a week, I'd be bored. Because, like you just said, to shoot something just that's beautiful, it's not interesting to me. There has to be a story. I feel like that I love challenges and I love, like, you know what I mean, just telling it 100. It doesn't matter if that's a portrait or if it's a whole landscape with somebody in it or just a boat. It doesn't matter.
[00:22:03] Speaker B: Yeah. Now, and you. Do you tell the whole story. So you have these beautiful three boys that you've raised in Mexico. Tell us a little bit about what they're into, because they're pretty fascinating young men. Yeah.
[00:22:16] Speaker A: So first of all, when I was, like, moving to Paris, you would have asked me, I said, I don't want children. I don't want to get married. I want. No, I was like one of those people. Then I met my husband, and I was like, oh, he's the guy. I want to get married. And, oh, I want five children. So I planned. Five.
[00:22:32] Speaker B: Five children. Okay.
[00:22:33] Speaker A: Yeah. We were together for eight years. No children. We had a great time traveling the globe and working and living in New York and then moving to Mexico and had my first child. We never knew what it was, was always a surprise. So the first one born, it's a boy. I was 37. So that was a little bit late to think about having five. So anyway, we started with four, then three and a half years later, Enzo. We already lived full time in Mexico. And because I was GE and Johan, South African, we had to actually fly to la, pop him out, and then really fly five days later back with an American passport. Very nice. And then. Yeah. And then the last one, Jacques, was born here in Mexico. So one from New York, one from la, one from Mexico, and then they grew up here, right in our house here in Sayulita. And I think it's a very, very special place for kids to grow up.
I mean, look, if you've been here years to, you know, there's just something about this area. I think it's very multicultural, which I think is really beautiful. Like, I could describe Saylita always as like a mini New York as well. There's people from every country.
It's really great. And then when Luke was three and a half years old, we found this little kindergarten here in town, which was run by this incredible lady, which she inspired us to make a school. Then we started a school here in town. Another crazy project that I never thought in my life I would. Would start or run a school.
[00:24:01] Speaker B: But probably out of necessity, you're like, I've got.
[00:24:04] Speaker A: Yeah, it was really this. I first thought, like, no, my kids will go to Mexican school. You know, I never thought that there was anything negative about it until I realized that it's really hard when, you know, there's teachers not showing up and there's a week, no school when there's supposed to be schools. So. And then when we started the school, I think because we have such a strong community here where really the local people and all the expats that moved here, like, work together. So that's how we started the school on 50% of scholars, which is really, really a beautiful program, because I think that all the kids that go to the school like mine, they have a big sense of, like, sharing their life, you know what I mean, with the local kids. And even now the friends, when they come to the house, half of them are local kids from here. You know what I mean? Which is really beautiful the way, you know. So I think that's. That makes them special.
[00:24:54] Speaker B: No, it's a super integration. And they're very, very good surfers.
[00:24:59] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:24:59] Speaker B: Are all three of them competing?
[00:25:02] Speaker A: No. So the oldest one, at a certain point decided, I don't want to surf anymore. I kite surf. So he started kite surfing with 15, and then he started videoing, and then he kind of took his own path. He actually studies video right now and went to New York for three years. He's now in Hawaii and loves it there because I think he needed a little bit of sunshine.
[00:25:23] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly. After New York being from second part of.
[00:25:26] Speaker A: Some happen there. And then Enzo is the middle one. He just turned. Turned 18, so he. The Jacques and Enzo started surfing really late. Actually, everybody here starts when they're like 3, 4, 5. They were like 9 and 10, and so they were a little bit behind the rest of this town, and they kind of got really obsessed with it straight away. And now Enzo wants to be a pro surfer, and he trains every day, and that's his passion. And we'll. Let's see how this goes, I think.
[00:25:53] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:54] Speaker A: So far, so good.
[00:25:55] Speaker B: No, they're doing fantastic. It's. Every time I hear about it, it's like they're out in a competition, crushing it. It's incredible.
[00:26:03] Speaker A: And then. Yeah, no, and then Jack actually has another passion. He's. He always. He. He cooks since he's little, and then. So he. That's his other thing. So. Yeah, so they're. They're just like.
[00:26:16] Speaker B: They're so creative. I love that they're I love that you have children that are both sporty and creative, and gentlemen, I mean, they're. They're good kids. So it's. It's a cool combo. It's a really cool combo because normally it's like you get one of the, you know, one of the skills. But the fact that they can do.
[00:26:33] Speaker A: All of that, I don't know. I feel lucky. I think, obviously, look, it's a combination of that they. They were very lucky and fortunate to meet a lot of people, travel the world, you know, growing up here in this little town which is, you know, where they live, very basic and. And like, they. I think they. They got like a good like of both of it. That was why Luke could go with 17 to New York, living by himself, because he'd been there, you know, he had. You know, So I think that's what's really great. I have a funny thing.
[00:27:02] Speaker B: I was.
[00:27:02] Speaker A: Y. There is a friend here. She said, let's go surfing. And the waves are really small. I was like, no, I go with you. So we went surfing, and I sit in the water, and this girl paddled over, and she's like, I just want to tell you, Jacques and Enzo are such. They are so polite and so nice. And I was like, it's so sweet, you know?
[00:27:19] Speaker B: No, it's true, though. They're remarkable young.
[00:27:22] Speaker A: It's a. It's just nice. And I feel lucky that I think they are also, by character like this, not just. I don't know what it made them. This. It's. It's a combination maybe of everything, because they. Within each other, they had never fights, which I think is an interesting thing. You know, you hear from other parents, oh, my kids are fighting all day long.
[00:27:42] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:42] Speaker A: Had that. They would be like, maybe mad for a second and now, but then they're moving on.
[00:27:46] Speaker B: You know, they're very old soul. They're very. But I love that you're in the ocean. This happens to parents all the time, right? Where you're. You're somewhere and you're. You're now the mother of, like, you're not who you are. You're like, oh, oh, you're Jack's mom. Yeah.
[00:28:01] Speaker A: Yeah. No, it happens all the time.
[00:28:02] Speaker B: It happens all the time. But, yeah, I'm sure. So I want to. I want to ask this because you and I have had very different paths. Right. So my path has been very much like, I don't know what I want to do with my life. Maybe I want to go over here and try this and I want to go try this and I want to build this business and I want to work for this company and I want to live here and I want to live there and, and all of the things. So I have like a full menu of all of the different things that I've done in my life. Never really at a young age knowing exact exactly what I wanted to do. I think that I'm finally almost 50 and coming into that phase of life where I'm like, oh, yeah, okay, now I get it. And I also know that it's totally acceptable to be able to do all these different skills that I, that I've done and that I have. And so I'm learning that as well. But you, at a very early age was completely opposite where you were like, damn, I, I'm onto something. I know that photography is in my future. I want to go do this and you chase that dream. And so I would love for you to talk to everyone listening about that path and really hearing that voice inside your head that took you on that journey. What was it that made you hold on to that and just go for it? Like, was there anything that you were just like, yes, I need to do this, you know?
[00:29:26] Speaker A: You know, what is the thing? And I really do this. I mean, look, I have, Jacques is like homeschooling with two other friends here, right? Since like Enzo is not in school anymore. And even with them, I have these talks all the time. They come up with like, oh, I'm going to go and study business. I'm like, why? So I, I, I think the most important thing is what I'm trying to. I think a lot of young people or a lot of people don't know what they are seeking, right? Or what is their passion. And I think that's natural. I'm one of those people that fortunately I really knew, right?
[00:29:58] Speaker B: I had passions.
[00:29:59] Speaker A: I wanted to be a ballerina and I wanted to be a photographer. And then I made a choice. But the most important thing that I learned from what I did is, is first of all, I tell everyone, don't take no for an answer because you know what I mean? You have to believe in yourself, like, that's what you want to do. You can do it. And I, I come from a middle class family, so look, I was already fortunate for sure, but I didn't have a father that be like, okay, I'll pay for this or whatever. I had to work. I had three jobs. I was 16, I left boarding school, I got this job that didn't pay my Living. I. My dad said, if you want to live in this apartment, you got to pay for it. So I had, you know, a waitress job and a job in a disco. And I, you know, I paid for my life by myself because my dad was not willing to pay for that. And, yeah, he didn't believe in me. He just was like, this is what you want to do? Go. You know, you're not home anymore. And I think for me, it's like, I think anybody can do it if they really, you know, want it. I. That's the one thing. And to try. I think it's important to try things if you don't know, try things. I think, of course, always be open. It's like, you know, if. If you say, oh, I'm not sure if I can learn. Surfing is. I don't have the balance. Go and give it a try. Oh, I don't know. I can't swim. My dad learned swimming when he was 40. You know, it's like. It's like you can do anything if you have to. You have to give it a try, you know, and then find.
And that's what I tell kids. I think also with what's coming in the future now, I think it's more important to actually find what you want instead of just doing something, because it could be replaced very easily in the future by AI. So I think the better you are personally at something, and I think the most important thing is to look how many hours we have to work work to actually, you know, have enough food and pay maybe our rent or whatever we need to live. I mean, I find that sometimes people said, oh, I. I want to be just an artist, and I don't want to do a commercial job. And then I said, look, I could be just a artistic photographer and be a waitress, you know, and that's my living, because I'm not selling enough art, print or I took the route. I did a commercial job too, you know, and for that. But I personally think, I think it's better to work in my field, even if it's the commercial version of it.
[00:32:22] Speaker B: Totally, totally.
[00:32:24] Speaker A: And that's what I'm trying to explain, because I just had a young musician that said, I don't want to put any commercial song out until I'm famous. And I'm like, but don't you want to rather sell your beat or something like that to somebody instead of going to be a construction worker or a waiter? Which I think in the end it's out there anyway. I don't think.
[00:32:47] Speaker B: Yeah, it's like you're, you're saying go all in. Like go all in in the dream. If you're gonna do the dream, go all in. And I love that message. And also I love, you know, I've been coaching for gosh, 25 years. And one of the things that I've noticed across the board, with every single person that I. Across the world, people don't dream. They don't dream anymore. They're too scared. They're. We're in this fear based place space and we forget how to dream, we forget how to flex that muscle. And so it's so fun when you can actually put yourself in that creative flow. So everybody listening to this right now, think of one dream that if you could jump into it right now, if you could go all in, like all in, what would it be? You know, and bring that to your life. Because life is like, forget the work part. Life is too short, short. And we're losing sight of what we really want our lives to look like and that dreaming capacity and what's important to us. Yes, yes. And then also in the work career thing, I think people are totally selling themselves out just to get after the money because they gotta pay rent. And while all of that is true, there's also this thing that we're learning here today about really going into your passion. And for me, when you're in your passion, it's no longer work, it's just what you get to love because it's, it's what you want to be doing. And so yes, there's moments where it's hard and you're on the grind and you've been on photo shoots in crazy locations where you're sweating and you're doing all the things but you're still at the end of the day, you're still passionate about what you're doing and you're excited to be there. Right?
[00:34:28] Speaker A: Exactly. That's the thing. It's like, it's definitely. I think it's the. For me, I'm so happy because it doesn't matter. Every day I got up and I love what I do. And that is I think, the most of important thing. I think what you said before, the one thing where this fear and all of that comes from is just there's too much in the world education, like since ever that it's so boxed up, right. You have to do this to have to do this. To have nothing is to have to. It's like you should want to do it, right?
[00:34:56] Speaker B: You should want to. And, and Also, I think the thing that, that the world has taken a lot out of is the creative side of ourselves, the actual playful creativity. And this is, for me, this is a gateway to the soul where true, true passion stems from anyways. And so the fact that you've been in this creative field for so long, I think if you don't have a creative outlet in your life, look at that. Because it's something that's missing, whether it's painting, whether it's writing, whether it's, you know, taking photography to the next level, but have, have musician, you know, have some sort of creative outlet because it helps spark all of this energy within you and gets you closer to your dreams. And I, And I do believe that's a secret too.
[00:35:41] Speaker A: No, for sure.
[00:35:42] Speaker B: Yeah. So let's. So let me ask you this. What do you think the world needs.
[00:35:46] Speaker A: More of A classic answer would be love? Because I do, I really believe that. But for me, that means. I think community. I think community is a. Is a really special thing. And I think that's something.
I find it so interesting with our online world now.
[00:36:03] Speaker B: Right.
[00:36:04] Speaker A: Look, I'm questioning why do people have to go on. On apps to connect? Right? So for me, it's a very strange thing because. But I'm really one of those people. I. When I was younger, I was definitely shyer to talk to people. I grew into myself. To be able to go out now and talk to anybody, like, you know, if you meet on an app up, that's amazing. I do think there's amazing connections made because of that. But I still, you know, community. I just like being more together. Right. Helping each other. And I think, for example, living in small towns, you can still feel that, right? That they have community, that people are coming together to do something. The bigger the place gets, it's more everybody out on their own. Right? Yeah, I think that's the thing. I think empathy is a really big one for me.
Look, there's a lot of people that have it. There's a lot of people that don't care. You know, I think caring, you know, that's like. I think that's something like sharing, you know, like, that's all things that are really important to me and that I am always trying to, to preach. And I can see, for example, having three sons that are really different, you know, where I'm like, oh, this one has this naturally, but, you know, he needs maybe help with that, you know, but the other day we had a discussion about, you know, all the stuff that's happening in the world. And then you can see a little bit of like, oh, yeah, horrible. But yeah, and then you show them maybe a movie and they're like, oh, this is actually really horrible. You know, it's like teaching empathy. And like, I don't know, I think it's really important just to shake people up, you know what I mean? To like 100%.
[00:37:40] Speaker B: And the community piece, I think, teaches empathy because when you're in community, you're in this involvement with other humans going through a lot of different things and, and you're in it together. And I think that's. That is. It's so funny that you're saying that because it's perfect that I'm talking to you today. Because even me, I'm craving a deeper knowing of community right now in my life. And I'm really switching that up. I'm moving from a town that I've lived in, in Colorado for 25 years. Vail, Colorado. I've been there for 25 years. And I'm just like, you know what? I've outgrown where I'm at in my life for this. And now I'm. I'm seeking community in Mexico, going, okay, where's that going to be for me? And where do I feel it pulling me? And. And I think it's a really important part of us to get back to human nature from the COVID when we were all shut down and all isolated. That, yeah, community is such a big importance. And through community, you can love, you can be empathetic, you can show compassion. I think it's a good practice.
[00:38:39] Speaker A: And I also think like, you know, sometimes people feel community needs to be big, you know, can be two people. Ye know, it doesn't totally. It's more, you know, giving and reaching out and sharing. And there's many ways of, I think, how that can work.
[00:38:55] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. I have a worldly community. I have a beautiful community all over the world.
[00:39:01] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:39:02] Speaker B: And what my heart is craving is the tactile touch. Community, where I can just be like, let's go grab a cup of coffee or let's go take a walk, or let's go get in the ocean and grab the next, next set of waves. You know, this is, this is what I'm craving. But, but community is a great one. So yeah, find your community if you don't have it. And if you do feel like you have community, tap into it deeper. Like, what can you go deeper with in your community? You know, maybe it's just about getting everyone together. For. For a minute and really diving into the importance of it. I find part of the thing that frustrates me in community is people are always so busy. Busy that we can't ever get together. This is like one of the things about community that I think we need to hold each other responsible to actually not having that as an excuse to enjoy community.
[00:39:51] Speaker A: No, that's true. And it's a. It's an interesting thing that you said that with the. With the busy thing. It's like I told you, for me, my big switch was the COVID thing. I just changed up also as well. What I do and what I don't do, just like, make a little bit more choices. Right?
[00:40:09] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:10] Speaker A: Or I was a little bit more like everybody's darling and like, helping people, and then I'm like, no, no, no. Limited to. To what's the right thing, you know, And I totally, you know, but that comes, I think, with age, you know.
[00:40:21] Speaker B: Well, it's. It's quality over quantity. You know, I think that. That when you start to hone in on your skills of. Of. Yeah.
[00:40:27] Speaker A: That.
[00:40:27] Speaker B: Let's call it aging, that it's. It is. It's really nice to be selective around how you spend your time and. And the quality of what you're putting out. We only have so much energy, and then if we're not replenishing that energy source, that's a whole nother layer of depletion. But if you're actively replenishing yourself every single day, you only have so much to give. And so you really want to think about the quality of what you're giving so that it can just. It can be this reciprocity of giving and receiving. And also what. What you're giving people are like, wow, that was amazing. Amazing. You give really well. Like, when you're. You are actually one of the gifts. You're. You're a brilliant human. But one of the gifts that I think I love the most about you in observation is you give the present moment. You are in the present moment when you're with people. And I think that's a. That's a skill that you've probably come into this life with. But it's certainly because of the interest in photography and the arts, I think you've had to do that. You've had to be in the present moment to capture what you've captured, nurtured. But it's a really beautiful gift that I don't even know if you're aware of that you give, but. But thank you for that.
[00:41:35] Speaker A: I think, I don't know if I'm aware of it, but you know what? I think so too. Where it comes from. I mean, you know, that I traveled the whole world with my, with my. That was one of my other dreams. I always wanted to travel as a kid and, and I think I had like, as you asked me before to like special moments, right. That do these changes. And I think I've traveled to a few destinations where I just encountered things where they made me so aware of, like, how different we all live and how lucky we are to be alive every day, but like, how lucky we are to be able to learn from other cultures. That for me was one of those big things, you know. I remember I went to India and I was like, wow, you know, will I ever be complaining about something? No, because.
[00:42:21] Speaker B: Right.
[00:42:22] Speaker A: Complain and smile. Then why do we would ever complain, you know?
[00:42:25] Speaker B: Or like, totally.
[00:42:26] Speaker A: I spend a week with Carol Indios that lived like 500 years ago, and I'm like, this is really how we were really originally living, you know, moved from that. But like, it just taught me a lot, I think. You know, there's these moments, I think, where. And I think that's maybe how you grow to be present to absorb all of that. And then obviously, like, I always wanted to absorb it and capture it, you know what I mean? In the images there.
[00:42:52] Speaker B: No, but I think traveling is the. One of the greatest teachers. I think going into other, other cultures and, and also learning yourself when you travel. There's a lot of lessons in just knowing yourself when you, when you're going to travel. So, yeah, I do think that that's one of the best teachers for sure. So I want you to complete this statement. I am, I am happy.
I would definitely say you're happy. That's for sure. You are happy. And thank you for giving us that light because you, you allude happiness. Actually, I don't, I don't know you on the other side of that expression, but I do have.
[00:43:32] Speaker A: No, I have. Look, I have like everybody my. My little downer moments. But there's a lot of times, I mean, where I obviously stop and, and go in myself and, and, and look what's wrong with me? What do I have to change? You know, Like, I had one three days ago where I was like, ooh, there's something I need to fix, you know, or like we always have to have bring us down. But like, in general, like, I wake up in the morning and I'm. I'm excited to be on Earth. And I, I'M I'm, I'm happy and I'm trying to go positive through the day, you know, and if I encounter negatives, obviously, you know, I'll try and fight them off because I'm just like, I don't want to be that person that's like not enjoying every moment. Effy.
[00:44:12] Speaker B: No. And it's, it's a, it's a lesson and a choice that we have every single day. Like we get to choose our reality. And I think this is a forgotten art within itself where it's like, you know, even I catch myself. I've had a really stressful week and I was kind of in the stress. I was inside of it and I was feeling it and it was horrible. My body felt shitty and I was super tense and, and I, I kind of fed into the pattern of it and then I caught myself and I was like, wait a minute, you have choice in all of this. Like you're the one causing the stress. Even like, what are you doing?
[00:44:44] Speaker A: You know, I know it's this. I think it's a learning awareness of those moments and how to them. And one thing that I think that I'm working on right now and I'm trying to get there and I think my whole life I lived a lot through the happiness of other people or the giving that I. Because I really enjoy that. I enjoy being there for other people. I enjoy doing all of those things. And I think the one thing I'm working on is like, you know, know who is me actually just me. The essence, I think not there yet. So I'm, I'm trying to self aware, you know what I mean, and learn about that.
[00:45:29] Speaker B: We're actually teaching. I'm, I'm teaming up. I'm really excited you said that because I'm just going to plug it right here because people need to know about it. But we're doing. I just started a new mastermind. It actually hasn't launched yet, but maybe by the time you're listening to this, actually it is with two other women. One's one of my best friends, that she's a best selling author and just a beautiful speaker. And then another woman that is a badass. She's amazing yogi and she owns a beautiful studio in Aspen. And we, we were collaborating on this mastermind for the last several months and it's finally coming to life. And it's all about what you just said. It's all about really learning who we are as the true essence of that meaning. And, and how do we strip Away all of the other stuff. Stuff. And how do we stand into our soul, which is what I believe that essence is called, and from there, how do we move through the world? And so I always say, I always call it soul first living as opposed to having your personality.
[00:46:25] Speaker A: I listened to a podcast.
[00:46:27] Speaker B: Oh, you did? Okay.
[00:46:28] Speaker A: So the soul thing, I think it was very interesting. I enjoyed that. I think that was cool.
[00:46:33] Speaker B: Yeah, that's awesome. So anyway, that's coming out into the world and. And I'm really excited to be able to. To give that to people, but I.
[00:46:39] Speaker A: Think that's the whole thing. It's that having the time and stepping back, like, you know, not being consumed for, like, look, look, if I just wake up and jump in, the way I do it normally, I'll run and do my kids and do this and do that, you know, and. And sometimes you forget yourself about that. And I think I. It's time that I take a little bit more time and find that for me, for sure.
[00:47:02] Speaker B: For sure. And one of the coolest parts is that we have these internal superpowers that when you actually get quiet and you learn the skills of how to access that, which is what we're teaching. It's like all of a sudden, the way you flow through your Life is completely 100 different because it's no longer as you, the human being. It's you as this soul in this human costume, getting to use your Jedi skills to run around through the world and giving your. Your light and your gift lives. And it's. It's freaking pretty awesome. So, yeah, so that's what it's all about. That's what I feel like we're doing here. And that's why this show is called Came Here to Love. Because for me, the whole thing that we're here to do is realize that we are love. That's the whole essence. So it's. It's pretty fun. It's pretty fun. Which I feel like I could talk to you forever. I would love. Somehow we're gonna collaborate on some project. I don't know what we're gonna do next, but I have.
[00:47:57] Speaker A: Yes, we should. And we should go for a surf together.
[00:48:00] Speaker B: For sure. You could kill me on the sur. Oh, my God. But yes, we definitely will do that. But I leave you with this statement. I'd like you to answer. Love is for me.
[00:48:12] Speaker A: It's sharing, caring, community, curiosity, and, you know, it's one more thing which I think is really interesting. For me, love in a lot of ways is trust. Right. Which I Think you know, belongs to relationships, but to a lot of things, like trusting, you know.
[00:48:29] Speaker B: No. Love is the most vulnerable. So we have to trust. No. Thank you for that. I love that formula. That was like a juicy cookie. It's like a recipe for the most delicious cookie you can make. So this has been amazing. Anna Menke. And you can learn so much more about her work on the show. Notes definitely check out her genius skills behind the camera. I don't even know. Can people buy your work anywhere or do you have to go?
[00:48:56] Speaker A: I have. Yeah, they can contact me. I have. I have it all online on my website. And the thing is, like, I don't know if you have my book that I published.
[00:49:05] Speaker B: Wow. Of course.
[00:49:06] Speaker A: I'm working on another book, but that's going to be a while. It's like, I want to do a book about Mexico. So I have a book called See the World Beautiful. You can buy it on Amazon and it's amazing. I have to get you one. So that's the first thing we have to do is we're going to ship.
[00:49:19] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you.
[00:49:21] Speaker A: And all my kind of like all my travels and my pictures are in there from like a collection of 10 years from also 20 years ago starting. And then that's a. That's a good starting point I need you to look at.
[00:49:34] Speaker B: That's amazing. It's like a coffee table book.
[00:49:36] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:49:37] Speaker B: Oh, you guys, what a gift.
[00:49:39] Speaker A: Mexico. Because look, I live here for so long and I half of the work I have already. What you've seen some of the witches and some stuff that I shot. But there's a few tribes and I have it planned to do something this year, something next year. It'll be a little bit. This is not a fast one.
[00:49:54] Speaker B: That's amazing. No, that's incredible. Well, we'll definitely get the book. Everybody needs that for their coffee table. And also what a great gift to give to give friends. So definitely check that book out and we will be back with much more with you. Because I. I want to do. I don't know, maybe we do a workshop together. Something is coming, I feel.
Yeah, we'll figure out something. So anyways, in the meantime, thank you so much for giving us your gift of light and love. You are such a beautiful inspiration. And this is just a reminder to go out and crush your dreams and really go after your passion. I feel like that's what the takeaway is for this episode. So go do that and we'll see you guys back here. Next week on Came Here to Love thanks for joining us.
[00:50:37] Speaker C: Thank you for joining us on Came Here to Love. I hope today's conversation has inspired you to live more fully, align with your soul and spread more love in the world. Remember, love is the highest vibration and when we leave with it, we elevate not just our own lives, but the lives of those around us. If today's episode resonated with you, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone who could use a little more love in their life. And as always, keep tuning in for more heart centered conversations that remind us all why we are here to love. Until next time, keep living your light and loving with your whole heart.
