A native Angeleno, Christy Schnabel grew up on the Santa Monica beaches. After graduating from UCLA, she opened Big and Tall, an independent bookstore/cafe on Beverly Boulevard. She later studied set design at USC and worked in the film industry on music videos and features. She was also the singer, songwriter and guitarist for Ugly Beauty, recording three albums for Blackball and Atlantic Records. Currently, she is a partner at Institute Pictures in Venice, CA, a production company co-founded by photographer Lauren Greenfield. Her first photobook, ON THE PATH: Portraits from the Santa Monica Beach Bike Path is due in 2027.