I photograph everything from dogs and babies to boudoir shots and commercials. I started photography at 15. It seems to be in my blood. I am completely obsessed and when I don't have my camera,I feel vaguely like an amputee. My camera is a bit of an extension of my self. For me, photography is a lens, a window into others lives. It can stop a moment and make an emotion eternal.

EDUCATION | BA in English Literature; close to completing my Masters in English Literature

HOW TO GET STARTED | Find a photographer you really respect in your area and ask to intern there.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | If you're going to work with children and families, you have to have a sense of humor and be goofy, plus you need to have a very high embarrassment threshold. You have to be friendly and get along with people- you can't be shy. And, you have to be creative and be a good photographer.

how I got started | My grandfather was a photographer, so I came by it naturally. Besides, I'm camera-shy and I learned early on I'd rather be behind the camera and not in front of it! Before I went into photography fulltime, I was a teacher. I did photography on the weekends, shooting weddings and CD covers; I discovered I could earn more doing photography on the weekend than I did teaching all week. I was surprised- I had thought I couldn't make a living doing photography- in fact, I make more money doing this than I did teaching.

why this job?| It chose me more than anything else. I can't look at anything without framing it. It's in my DNA, it's in my bloodstream, it's how I see the world. There's nothing else I could do 80 hours a week and be happy. When you're doing something you really enjoy and it's yours, it's okay to work that much.

why I love this job!| It's different every day. I get to create art every day. I get to meet the most amazingly wonderful people.

my typical day| There is no typical day. Today I was at a preschool, photographing 30 five-year-olds. One day, I started out doing a maternity shoot and ended up working on a commercial at the Oakland training facility. Another day, I was taking pictures of puppies in the morning and by afternoon,I was shooting Tim Ferris test driving the new electric Tesla from a car speeding along behind him (I was in the passenger's seat!)

what they are | I work really long hours. Because a lot of people who haven't been trained in photography are calling themselves photographers and selling their services so cheaply, I have to educate people about price issues: you do get what you pay for. Dealing with the business end is a challenge for creative people.

all about growth | There's a huge growth opportunity. That's where being a good business person comes in- you have to market yourself.

my website| http://www.monicamichelle.com