Takeaway 1: Reinvention Starts with Intention
Max never set out to be a photographer. It began when a friend asked him to shoot her fashion brand — a small favor that quietly set his future in motion. At the time, he was focused on modeling, posting iPhone photos on Instagram, and hoping to secure a modeling agency contract. But something about holding the camera felt different.
“I honestly wasn’t even thinking about shooting,” he recalls. “I was just modeling. But after that first shoot, everything snowballed. I realized I loved being behind the lens just as much as I did being in front of it.”
Max didn’t stumble into his career, though; he built one with intention. When he moved to Los Angeles, he split his time between modeling, photography, and production assisting. Then one day, a producer told him, “This is going to be your set very soon.”
“I got chills,” he says. “I was looking out at the set, visualizing how I’d approach everything: the lighting, the clients, the direction, and I thought, she’s right. A month later, I shot my first campaign for H&M. That moment changed everything.”
From there, every decision was rooted in reflection rather than reaction. “Every pivot I’ve made came from reflection,” Max shares. “I’d ask myself, what do I love, and where do I want to be in ten years?”
That sense of clarity led him to combine his two passions: fashion and travel, and further into a distinctive niche: luxury fashion and hotel photography.
And when he couldn’t find a lane that fit, he created one. From luxury resorts to fashion houses, Max intentionally aligned his craft with his curiosity.
“People ask how I found my style,” he says. “It wasn’t about chasing trends, it was about paying attention. Writing things down. Doing the research. I designed the path I wanted to walk.”
It’s a reminder that creativity thrives when it’s guided by purpose. Growth doesn’t happen by completely by accident; it also happens by design.
Takeaway 2: Empathy Creates Connection
Years in front of the camera gave Max something rare — empathy. Before he ever picked up a camera, he spent a decade modeling, learning firsthand what it feels like to be on the other side of the lens. That experience shapes everything about how he works today.
“When you’ve been the person being directed, you know how vulnerable it can feel,” he says. “So when I’m photographing someone who’s nervous, I start with a conversation. I want people to feel comfortable, to feel seen.”
He jokes around, asks about their life, and builds trust. “I think I’m pretty funny,” he laughs. “I like to keep things light on set. The more relaxed people feel, the better the images become.”
That human connection transforms his shoots from a strict direction into genuine collaboration. “I don’t try to force anything,” he adds. “I go with the flow, whatever feels right in the moment.”
It’s a simple shift with a big impact: his subjects aren’t just performing, they’re co-creating. Whether it’s a model, a hotel interior, or a five-star resort, his goal is the same: to capture a feeling that’s both elevated and real.
This empathy extends far beyond the camera. It’s how he mentors other photographers, champions fair pay and transparent contracts, and builds community around openness rather than competition. “I’ve learned that our industry needs more communication,” Max says. “People gatekeep information or stay quiet because they’re afraid. But sharing helps everyone grow.”
Empathy is the through-line in everything he does: the way he leads, collaborates, and connects. It’s his creative edge and his compass.
Takeaway 3: Build Your Own Lane, Then Invite Others In
Max didn’t fit neatly into one category, so he built his own. By blending fashion with hospitality and design, he carved out a niche that didn’t exist yet. What began as curiosity soon became a calling.
“I wrote down the clients I wanted,” he explains. “Once I did, alignment followed.”
That simple act of putting his goals on paper helped him recognize the patterns, the connections, and the kind of work that truly felt like him. When hotels and fashion houses didn’t overlap naturally, he created the bridge himself, producing campaigns that carried the same elevated storytelling across both worlds.
Today, his agency Intentional handles full creative production for clients in fashion, wellness, and luxury travel; everything from casting and location scouting to photography, video, and design. “I never went to school for photography,” Max says. “I’m self-taught, and that gives me the freedom to approach every project differently. There’s no rulebook, just feeling and intention.”
That same mindset extends to how he runs his business. Max is vocal about fair pay, transparent communication, and challenging the norms that undervalue creative work. “A lot of people don’t talk about payment terms or licensing because they’re afraid of losing clients,” he says. “But I think it’s more important to have honest conversations. That’s how we make the industry better for everyone.”
For Max, being intentional goes beyond creative direction: it’s about integrity. Building something original means setting the tone for how you want to work, and then inviting others to rise with you.
For more on this episode, listen to the full conversation on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Connect with Max on LinkedIn.