Marci Curtis

I’ve been taking photos since I was about four years old. I was lucky as a girl because my Dad always had a darkroom set up somewhere in the house and he always encouraged me to go out and shoot for fun with the camera.

I grew up moving around Europe with my family until I graduated from high school. Because we moved quite often, my only constant playmate was my sister. We were very close and had a lot of thrilling adventures in our heads, in our backyard and even on stage. Being the little sister I tagged along, took orders well, and got to bask in the glory of my sisters’ feats. She taught me, at an early age, that anything is within my reach if I just try hard enough.

I went to University of Michigan planning on majoring in musical theatre. But I missed making pictures, so I started taking photo classes at the art school. And I missed writing, so I started taking writing classes. And I was fascinated by why Americans are so enthralled with buying things; so I started taking business classes. And so, I graduated with an incredibly schizophrenic degree! After one marketing internship I decided I would really rather be a photojournalist. Believe me – as awful as covering breaking news can be, it’s a breeze compared to selling things you couldn’t care less about.

With the “of course you can” attitude I’d inheritted from my sister, I asked the local paper if they wouldn’t mind hiring me. They amazingly gave me a chance, but told me I needed to follow their new “hot shooter” around for a couple of weeks to learn the ropes of the business. I did and I’ve never stopped following him. I married Rodney Curtis nine years ago.

After living in New Hampshire and working for the Associated Press for 6 1/2 years, we finally moved back to Michigan to have our girls grow up closer to friends and family. I freelance for the two papers in Detroit, shoot the occassional wedding and work on my books, but most of the time I’m a Mom….. a really happy, well loved Mom.