Interview with street & editorial photographer Michelle Groskopf

How do you introduce someone who is funny, forthright and totally committed to her role in society. With some people its more than a job, it’s more than passion, it’s simply who you are. Today’s guest is the one and only Michelle Groskopf, a street and editorial photographer from Los Angeles.

Michelle is an interesting figure in the community because her career moved rapidly from the world of the street to purses, people and some rather interesting clients. After shooting for a certain favourite magazine of mine, Michelle was lucky enough to work with people in the tech industry. Now when I say tech, I mean the big boss, as in Bill Gates, Jack Dorsey etc! What is great is that Michelle took these photos in her style, not your standard corporate headshot.

Anyway, we discuss all sorts and have a great laugh, so here are a few points from it:

finding a mentor
- how WIRED changed her life
- vivid websites
- voyeuristic style
- telephoto lenses
- COVID
- sexism + racism
- fighting equality

I have a certain Ibarionex Perello to thank for the recommend and boy, I’m so thankful. Michelle is nothing but honest and talks a little about her upbringing and the fight of being a female gay photographer.

Quote

After listening back to the interview I think this quote from her provides a glimpse of what we discuss – “to be a black person know and to recognise that the whole world stands in way of your greatness”.

Random questions

Michelle doesn’t escape the wrath of my questions, so find out Michelle’s ideal headline and the relevance of skipping school.

Links

These links refer to discussions from the podcast:

Toby Kaufmann – https://theluupe.com/blog/2020/01/23/meet-facebooks-creative-director-toby-kaufmann/

Diversifyphoto – https://www.instagram.com/diversifyphoto

Michelle Instagram – www.instagram.com/michellegroskopf
Michelle website – www.mgroskopf.com

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