Meet Gina Burg | Photographer and Mixed Media Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gina Burg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gina, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work-life balance is essential! I love everything about working as a creative, but having your own business means you’re almost always working. One must learn to keep strict business hours, and no matter how much you want to, you simply cannot reply to a business email or phone call after your ‘business’ hours. Every time I have made an exception, those are the clients I regret working with. One late text turns into multiple, and snowballs from there. We live in paradise, and it is incredibly important to get outside and experience the natural beauty of our home away from your phone and computer. When I make time for a morning free-dive session in the ocean or to ride my bike, I am energized for the rest of the day and am my most productive.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

On a day-to-day basis, I am a feel-good photographer and mixed-media artist, who loves to travel, has a wicked sense of humor, believes life is an adventure, and that we shouldn’t live without color, love, and light. I also tell really corny Mom jokes on a regular basis to embarrass my daughter. We have a home filled with vibrant artwork and animals that have lost their way, including a rare parrot, two rescue dogs, and too many turtles.

I photograph what I refer to as the keepsake moments of families from weddings, moms-to-be, newborns, and everything in between. During my creative playtime, I capture all facets of nature, from sea turtles and great-horned owls to majestic sunrises and rolling waves, and then use those images to create my mixed-media works.

I recently published a Fine-art Journal filled with my artwork and guided prompts that are a simple yet powerful tool for tackling your own self-care and happiness. I try to live and breathe by the motto that it is ok to be sunny and salty and that motto is shared throughout the journal.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

The first place we would go is to the beach! Depending on their skill level of swimming, I hope to take anyone visiting out into the big blue to explore one of our reefs and all the sea life. I have all the gear we need, snorkel masks and dive flags, to surf and paddle boards. During sea turtle nesting season, we would scout for nests during the day and search for mamas at night while always keeping a safe distance so as not to disturb them.

In Miami, a great place to visit is Wynwood Walls. The entire neighborhood is quirky and artsy, and we would definitely hit up the Miami mojito company for a cocktail after touring the museum.

Another place fun to explore is the Riverwalk in Ft. Lauderdale where you can catch the ferry and explore the area on the water, and it is always so much fun, especially if you have a chatty boat captain. You can climb on and off to try out different restaurants along the way.

Another great place to explore the ocean and a great location for the less advanced swimmers is the Blue Heron Bridge in Riviera Beach. If you go at high tide, the water is usually pretty clear, and there is much to see. Just be sure you never try to touch the wildlife and don’t leave any of your trash behind!

Another thing I love to do is explore all the architecture in Miami. I am absolutely amazed by all the Art Deco buildings on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, and now that the road is closed to vehicles, it is much easier to explore on foot. Plus, the area is excellent for people-watching with tons of restaurants. Another architectural stunner is the Scorpion Tower designed by Zaha Hadid in Miami. Simply standing on the street and looking up at the structure takes your breath away!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I had to think long and hard about this question because working as an artist requires you to delve into your mind and heart to create, so you spend a lot of time by yourself living in your own mind. However, when my wheels get stuck, my sister – a fellow creative – always answers the phone. We live across the country from one another, but knowing that I can call to talk about everything and nothing, at the same time is invaluable to me as an artist. We have very different artistic styles, and different approaches to most facets of life, and that is what makes it so great to have her as a sounding board.

Website: https://www.sunandsaltyair.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunandsaltyairphotos/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginaburgphotos/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sunandsaltyair

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ginaburgphotos

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCorlhPXgqqgzvml6DeQVMPQ

Other: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B19D25YL

Image Credits
All photos by Sun & Salty Air Photography LLC