How our friendship began…
Years ago I was on a flight with a famous couple on board. The woman looked closely at me, handed me a copy of Vogue Magazine asking, “Is this you?” There under the credits was the name Anne Menke. I turned the pages immediately being captured by some of the most beautiful photography I had ever seen. My only answer to my passenger was, “I wish!” I was soon to find out that the other Anne Menke is a world famous fashion photographer! I told myself someday I wanted to meet her. A few years later we became Facebook friends and our friendship began. Anne has been so kind in the spirit of Christmas to give one of my readers who pre-buys Exposure to a Billionaire (release date June 7, 2016) on Amazon and signs up on my website for a chance to be entered for a giveaway of her book, See the World Beautiful. Her book is one that Oprah listed as the perfect Christmas present. It is truly an honor to introduce my friend, Anne Menke. Read about this remarkable woman and how she is making a difference throughout the world.
Meet my friend, Anne Menke…
Hi Anne, Thank you for joining me today. I am thrilled to be interviewing you today and share a little about you, and your work. Let’s get started, okay…
Where are you originally from and how did you get started as a fashion photographer?
I’m so glad I could join you today, too. I was born in a small town in Germany, called Wittlich. I knew at twelve years old that I wanted to be a photographer. I lived in Wittlich until I was fourteen years old and by that time I knew I would be a fashion photographer. I left home to go to boarding school, followed by an apprenticeship as a photographer. At twenty-one years old I started doing my first jobs as a photographer in Germany. At twenty-two years old I moved to Paris. My mother and father still live in Wittlich and my sister is a stylist in the industry living in New York City.
So the creativity runs in your family. Where did you and your husband meet?
My husband, Johann and I met in Miami. He is originally from South Africa.
Was it love at first sight?
For this answer I share the following:
There is a connection that you immediately feel
A place a person…something you see
Love on first sight is clear, strong and forever
Oh, I like that Anne. You also have three boys. How do you travel all over the world while raising three boys (This is a question I have been asked for years)? Did you and your husband live in New York City before moving full-time to Suyalita, Mexico? What brought you down to Sayulita originally and can you share a little about your homes down there?
My husband and I lived in New York City for fifteen years. In 2003 we had our first son, Luke. Before Luke was born, Johann and I fell in love with Sayulita after going there for many surf trips and traveling up and down the Mexican coast. We realized what a gem this area was and decided to buy some land there. In 2005 we decided to move to Sayulita full-time knowing we wanted a simpler life on the beach and in a small town where our kids could really be kids – safe and free spirited individuals.
Once we moved full-time to Sayulita our second son Enzo was born. He started traveling with me for the first two years of his life from Paris to Argentina, Tahiti to Chile and back to Los Angeles. My kids got used to traveling quickly and being on the road with many different people from all over the world. I truly think our boys are global citizens now. This is an amazing gift we have been able to give our children; to adapt anywhere in the world.
We also started a small hotel and vacation rental we have put our hearts and souls into. Please check it out: www.teitiare.com
Anne, your homes are spectacular! Do you really surf? How does a girl from Germany become a ‘surfer chick’ living in Mexico?
Remember, my husband is South African and we met in Miami. He showed me how to surf and I fell in love with it immediately. Yes, I surf every day that I possibly can!
You and your husband co-founded the Costa Verde International School in Sayulita. How did that come about and can you tell us a little about the school? If someone is interested in the school or giving financial support how can they find out more information, as well?
When my husband and I moved to Sayulita we already had our first son, Luke, who was two years old at the time. I wasn’t worried, or concerned at that time about his education. I just thought he would be going to the public school. It was then that we realized this was not what we had dreamed about for his education. We decided with another couple (our best friends), to become co-founders and start a school. It was at that time the Costa Verde International School was formed. We decided we should make it a community project starting a green school that would be bilingual and have an enormous amount of scholarships for the local kids to join the progressive modern hands-on education. Our goal was and continues to be to make a contribution to the environment and our community. We opened the doors seven years ago. Today, the school is running strong with one hundred and sixty students from kindergarten to 9th grade. If you would like more information about the school, or how you can sponsor a child, making a difference in the local kids education, please go to http://www.colegiocostaverde.com/ We are excited to see the program continue to grow beyond what we could have imagined.
Any stories you want to share about life in Sayulita? Maybe about building a bridge?
Let me share a couple of fun stories. There are quite a few, but these are fun.
A few years ago, I was on a fashion shoot for American Elle Magazine. The entire team was here in Sayulita getting ready to pack up for our shoot in Puerto Vallarta. We mixed up our people and bags into different cars before we left. When we arrived in Puerto Vallarta I asked my assistant for my bag with $10,000 in cash to pay for the location for the shoot asap, please! No one could find the bag. It soon became apparent we had left it behind while packing in Sayulita. Our driver quickly called a friend of his who is a local taxi driver in Sayulita. He rushed to the scene and there stood an old lady who said, “Oh yes, these crazy people left this handbag behind.” There inside was all the money. Yes, all $10,000! I love this about the people here…super honest and beautiful. Viva Mexico!
This is my drama story…Johann, my husband, and I decided to give back to the community here in Sayulita by building a pedestrian bridge over a river that in the rainy season is tough for locals to walk through with the mud. We thought it was a great idea. We asked the mayor for permission through the government to build the bridge. They insisted on giving the building contract to one of their government builders and engineers. We agreed on the price and paid them to start the process. Johann watched the building process and went a few times with our own engineers to the site with concerns about the foundation pillars not being deep enough to hold the bridge in the rainy season. The government architect insisted that his studies were correct and nothing should be changed. Well, the bridge was finished and we had a fun ground breaking inauguration. For about three months people enjoyed walking over the bridge. Then the rainy season came…within a few weeks the bridge started to crack and within four months the bridge collapsed completely. We tried to fight the government to rebuild the bridge at their cost, but it was never done. Still Viva Mexico!!!
Anne, I am blown away by your photography. From studio, to location, to film, you are amazing. You are painting the world beautiful with your work. Can you share the concept behind your gorgeous book, See the World Beautiful? The photography inside is absolutely stunning. I love how you take something chic and add such natural beauty and special touches to each picture. The picture of the women in the African Village wearing designer clothing and covered in their handmade beaded jewelry is priceless. You captured it beautifully. How do you do it?
The book is kind of retrospective of approximately fifteen years of my traveling around the world and shooting images of people and places that I have come across. In each location chosen, I was there for fashion magazines, but while there I always found more than just a story we created for Vogue. I found beauty and fashion everywhere. I would recreate the images I found while doing a scouting trip, or walking around the areas. Often the lighting was not good, or the scene was not perfect. I would recreate the images I saw in a perfect way leading to the pictures in the book. I have always been inspired by classic reportage photographers from the turn of the century…there is a lot of influence from them in my work.
What is a favorite location, or photo shoot for you?
That is a question that is hard to answer. I live to go to a new place and discover new and beautiful things! I fell in love with Mongolia. It was definitely one of my most fascinating places I have ever been to. I also loved the Andes.
What projects are you working on now? I know your schedule is full, but could you share a little about what a ‘normal’ schedule looks like for you?
Yes, what is normal? Right now I am working on a book about Mexico. I love Mexico! I keep busy with my daily advertising and fashion jobs, too. A ‘normal’ schedule, when I am not playing soccer mum at home (which I love), is for example heading to the airport to fly off to New York, Los Angeles, Paris, or St. Barth’s depending on my client. I arrive at the location, scout the area for the next few days and meet with clients. This is followed by the next few days filled with shoots from early sunrise to sunset. After this, I am generally off to the next destination. I can be on the road sometimes for an entire month at a time.
Do you ever have art exhibitions that the general public could see?
Absolutely! After publishing my last book, See the World Beautiful, I have done exhibitions in New York, Paris, Los Angeles and Mexico. I am planning on having exhibitions soon in Dallas and St. Barth’s.
I am not only amazed to know there is another Anne Menke, but that you have many of the same passions I do. You have a heart that captures beauty and true compassion for people all over the globe. Can you tell us where people can find more examples of your work?
Yes, the best place is either my gallery that represents my work in Soho, New York called Clic Gallery: http://www.clic.com/index-clic#/anne-menke-clic/ Or, my publishers website is: http://glitteratiincorporated.com/products/see-the-world-beautiful-by-anne-menke, My book is also available on Amazon.
Thank you for sharing what you are doing and how you are making a difference around the world. I am honored to call you my friend. You truly make the world a better place.
For one of my fortunate reader’s of the Exposure to a Billionaire Travel Diary that has already pre-purchased the book on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Exposure-Billionaire-Morgan-James-Fiction/dp/1630477583/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449702440&sr=1-1&keywords=exposure+to+a+billionaire by January 15, 2016, please write and share a favorite destination and you will be entered to win Anne Menke’s book, See the World Beautiful as a way for us to say “Thank You, in the Spirit of Giving!”
Merry Christmas and Happy Travels…
Ann
2 comments
Great post. I’m facing a couple of these problems.
I love it when folks come together and share views, great blog, keep it up.