Last but not least in our Q&As with the latest round of Hot Shots is NYC native, Parsley Steinweiss. Parsley is no stranger to HHS! We first saw her work way back in 2006 and even though the subject matter in her entries was entirely different, the revelation was in the details.

Parsely pays close attention to whatever it is that she's photographing, insects, layers of organic matter or stacks of magazines and contact sheets. Her work simply and elegantly reveals patterns in the world we inhabit, which makes sense: once steeped in the chaos of the city, the thing to do seems to be to seek order. And Steinweiss makes order look pretty good. See more of her work on her website.

From:
Born and raised in New York City.

Formal and/or informal education and training:
I received my B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College in photography and painting. After Sarah Lawrence, I got a job at Exhibition Prints, a fine art printing lab in New York City. It was there that I learned everything about printing professionally. After a few years, I decided to go back to school and get my MFA from SUNY Purchase.

How you pay the bills:
I work as a photographer/creative director for a fine jewelry company. I also do freelance photography and teaching.

Best advice received (as a photographer and/or human):
One of my teachers in grad school gave this letter from Sol Lewitt to Eva Hesse to the class when we were all stressing out about our thesis work. I read it whenever I think I've reached my brink:

You seem the same as always, and being you hate every minute of it. Don't! Learn to say "F**k You" to the world once in a while. You have every right to. Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder, wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, gasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, rumbling, rambling, gambling, tumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning, groaning, honing, boning, horse-shitting, hair-splitting, nit-picking, piss-tricking, nose-sticking, ass-gouging, eyeball-poking, finger-pointing, alleyway-sneaking, long waiting, small stepping, evil-eyeing, back-scratching, searching, perching, besmirching, grinding grinding grinding away at yourself. Stop it and just DO... Don't worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your own world... You must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to DO! I have much confidence in YOU and even though you are tormenting yourself, the work you do is very good. Try to do some BAD work. The worst you think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell.

Top 3 Favorite Artists:
These are 3 in a rotating top 20: Vik Muniz, Bernd and Hilla Becher and Ernst Haeckel.

Photograph (or other work of art) that you can't get out of your head, ever:

Photographers/artists you are looking at right now:
Nicki Stager
Talia Chetrit
John Chiara
Sharon Core
Nina Katchadourian

Reading now:
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Top 3 photo blogs/websites:
I Heart Photograph
Flak Photo
Humble Arts Foundation

Top 3 non-photo blogs/websites:
Tasting Table
Bibliodyssey
Topographic Maps — so cool, you can get topographic maps for anywhere in the US. A great resource.