or

"Why you should hire me instead of the photographer down the street."

A short(ish) story by Mark Ross.

Disclaimer: the following may read like the OkCupid profile you skipped over before finding the profile of the person you are now photographer shopping with. Reader discretion is advised.

In theory, I believe I could be summarized in two words, and they are Panera+Bread. But since I am not good at summarizing anything, I'm certainly not going to start now on my very own website. So please take a seat and get to know me. In no particular order:

My name is Mark and I'm a Gemini (hi Mark). I'm pretty into astrology and will probably talk about that before asking you where your wedding will be located or when your baby is due. I love The Nanny, Sex and the City and Friends and don't understand why any of them had to go off the air. I also love romantic comedies and have dragged every man I've ever dated to them. I figure out a way to cry at pretty much any movie I see. My favorite movie candy is a box of chocolate covered raisins because they were my Nana's favorite.

I'm a vegetarian. And an animal lover. I once rescued and fostered an abandoned puppy and it's still one of my proudest accomplishments. If you want to learn about love and what it really looks like, stare into the eyes of a dog. If you don't have a dog handy, you can borrow one of mine, especially if I have a photo shoot that day.

I was almost a child actor. No, I'm not joking. Don't remind my father of that, as he's still frustrated that I didn't grow up to be Brad Pitt and purchase him a summer home in the Hamptons. I'm very dramatic and as a child wished I was a Disney princess. Which leads me to something important:

I'm gay and really comfortable with who I am (although I no longer aspire to be Belle). I believe in equality and will photograph any couple or family, regardless of if you think society approves of you or not. I truly believe in love and two of my life goals are to be a husband and a father. If you are an engaged same-sex couple or a family with two moms or two dads, you're already an inspiration to me. So be proud of who you are!

Before I became a Denver portrait photographer I was a professional dancer in Miami. No, not the kind on a pole. What do you think this is? (Although incidentally, I tried it once for fun and it's REALLY hard. But I digress.) I was a dancer for one of the nation's top ballet companies and stayed on the stage until the Universe shoved me off of it and threw a camera into my hands. Ok, that's not how it actually happened, but it sounds pretty dramatic when I type it that way.

I love to write (please check out my blog). And I love to read. Although I couldn't stand the books they gave me in school. I'm still confused how I passed high school English, as I showed up for my final on A Tale of Two Cities without reading one page. My favorite authors are Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Elizabeth Gilbert and Wayne Dyer. Yes, I am that person sipping tea in the New Age section of Barnes and Noble. I'm lying. I like coffee. But Namaste.

Speaking of Namaste, I am actually certified to teach Kundalini Yoga. Although we say Sat Nam instead of Namaste. I also practice Reiki, a form of energy healing. My bloodline in Brasil (ask me how I found my birth family...it's a pretty epic story) is full of healers, so I guess I was always destined to explore the world of spirituality and alternative healing. I don't smell like a hippie, though. I guess that's where I draw the line!

My Mom is my best friend and my parents are my heroes. They have been together for over 40 years and remind me every day that the marriages I see beginning from behind my camera can stand the test of time. I truly believe in love because of them. And because of Panera Bread.

After studying myself for over 30 years, I've gotten to know me pretty well. And what I've learned is that if I am not being creative and if I am not connecting with and helping bring joy to people, I feel empty inside. Being a Denver photographer for me is not just a job; it is me fulfilling a calling to serve people. To marvel at the beauty in my client's lives that they aren't even aware exists, and capture it with my camera.

Please check out my work and contact me so that I may be of service to you. I look forward to working with you, hearing your story and becoming not just your photographer, but your friend. Have a lovely day and enjoy more Panera Bread.

For my latest work/shenanigans, please follow me here on Instagram! @@@@@@