Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Wilson

Hi Michael, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

I got started in 2006 in New York City, working for various photographers as a photo assistant. This turned into a full-time role in which I was able to travel around the world for various assignments alongside Martin Schoeller, a well-regarded celebrity and editorial photographer. I learned so much about lighting and managing situations on set that in 2013, when my partner and I moved to Maine, I was able to utilize those skills to begin building my own career. Throughout much of the 2010s, I took on every assignment I could, whether it was editorial, commercial, event, wedding, or just personal projects. This really helped me grow both in the scope of my interests and in my ability to manage different sets. This year, which I have dubbed a “building year,” I am hoping to increase the scale of projects I work on, adding levels of complexity that I have not dealt with before.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

Oh, this is a good question. Yes and no. I have been extremely lucky and have had unbelievable success in finding clients that respect me and that I enjoy working with. I will always be thankful for any assignment because photography is an incredibly saturated market, and people can hire whoever they want. The biggest struggle has always been the consistency of work, particularly in a market like New England, where work has a seasonality to it. It’s busy in the summer and fall and pretty slow in the winter. I’d say the biggest challenge right now is contending with a saturated market, as well as the introduction of brand new technologies such as AI and CGI. It’s both scary and exciting, but I remain hopeful.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

At the moment, I specialize in photographing people, whether it’s portraits, environmental images, or lifestyle work—basically, anything that involves people doing things. I like to believe that’s what I’m known for, particularly my portrait work, and even more specifically, my environmental portrait work. I love telling stories about someone in a single photograph. I think creativity is often undervalued because we are constantly shown so much that others have created, mostly via social media. I believe that coming up with creative concepts from conception to delivery is a skill I excel at.

The work I’m most proud of includes a series about people over 100 years old living here in Maine, as well as a recent project about a queer-driven welding school in South Portland. I like to believe what sets me apart is my ability to manage different lighting scenarios extremely efficiently, but most importantly, my ability to communicate with clients and talent alike. So much of this job is problem-solving and communication—two things that I feel very confident in executing.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?

I find that I constantly use Instagram as a source of inspiration. I save hundreds of pictures each month that I reference for lighting styles and subject matter. I’ve also started to really enjoy watching movies for their technical aspects—the lighting, the sound, the camera angles. I don’t know yet if this means I will venture into more video work, but it’s another avenue of inspiration for me.

Pricing:

• Pricing is typically based on a per-project basis. Each project has a wide range of needs and deliverables, making it difficult to maintain a standard pricing sheet, although I have tried. I try to remain competitive within a market while still keeping my business financially viable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Michaelwilsonphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mwphotographic/

Image Credits
Michael D. Wilson