Creators: A personal project

It's easy to be fascinated by exotic cultures that adorn themselves in bright colors and feathered headdresses. My own passion for travel began in the pages of magazines and books depicting explorers who cut their way through dense jungles or traversed unforgiving mountain ranges in search of isolated tribes. For most people, there is a natural interest in the strange and other-worldly... something that excites our curiosity and pulls us in, but what about exploring the stories right outside your own door?

Pulling influence from urban lifestyle and the cityscapes which molded him, designer Sam Rose's unique clothing is highly coveted within the community and abroad.

I started the Creators project as a way to explore the minds of the innovative people around me and get a glimpse inside their worlds. Whether it's a real estate guru or a shopkeeper, everyone has a story to tell. Photography is a wonderful tool to gain access to places you might otherwise never see. It gives you a reason to be there asking questions.

Jon Kupkowski of The ReFarmery. Jon uses many post-consumer materials around the farm. He believes that a focus on sustainability and reusability is the way to usher in the future of agriculture.

Devin Armstrong is a talented young photographer based in Sacramento, California.

Not only does it feed my own curiosity but it also allows me to sharpen my skills and keep my portfolio fresh. It gives me the creative freedom to photograph just the way I want to, which in turn allows me to better bring to life the vision of my clients, while maintaining a style that is very much my own.

Oklahoma native, now Sacramento based filmmaker Kyle Rynicki has an aesthetic like no other. His attraction to gritty "salt of the earth" subject matter dictates his unique style of storytelling.

As it turns out, Sacramento is full of creatives. Photographers, writers, entrepreneurs, actors, musicians, restauranteurs, shop owners, you name it. Instagram has been a great resource in finding and reaching out to people to take part. Everyone loves free advertising and people are usually flattered that someone takes an interest and appreciates their hard work.

Artist Navid Dehghan, photographed outside of his downtown studio.

It's easy to get caught up in the business side of things. I, like most people, require money to survive. So I'm always looking to grow my business and expand my client base, but its so important to have creative projects that are just for me. Otherwise I'd go crazy.

John Cronin, musician and audio pathway teacher.

Personal work is incredibly important because if you don't care enough about photography to go out and fund your own projects and explore ideas on your own, why should anyone hire you to bring their ideas to life? As a photographer, personal work is your voice and in order to stand out, you must have something to say.

Tyler Barr, Los Angeles based producer.

Lolo Francis, owner of Rebel Yell Yoga.