Zickl's cousin, George L. Zickl III, a fashion photographer introduced him to photography when Zickl was 19. After studying at the Southeast Center for Photographic Studies in Florida, he worked for Annie Liebovitz, Bruce Davidson and National Geographic photographer Michael O'Brien. Zickl says "I enjoy the act of making photographs and interacting with my subjects. A glance, a gesture, an emotion, an expression of someone who has opened themselves up to me. The final image is a constant reminder of that experience."