is a self-portrait photographer who creates conceptual art to aid his mental health journey and connect with others. With a daily growing 230,000+ Instagram following, viral videos, and features on Buzzfeed, Unilad, and other global media outlets, his conceptual art’s raw honest vulnerability holds up a mirror to the viewer and forces them to dive into the depths of the human condition with him.

Michael has been a storyteller his whole life, and honed his creative conceptual abilities while receiving his BA in Theatre at Doane University. After transitioning to film and then moving from in front of the camera to behind as an award winning director & freelance video creator for global brands like National Geographic, WD-40, Green Giant and more, he furthered his technical and storytelling skills. But it was when he made the move to conceptual photography where he learned he could tell an entire story in a single frame, that the culmination of all his pursuits came together to start creating magic.

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A Note from Michael - A surreal dive into the depths of the human condition with conceptual self-portraits that provoke thoughtful introspection. Alongside each picture are written explanations that use raw honesty to hold a mirror up to the viewer. Using classic photography techniques combined with modern photo manipulation.

In January 2019, I began creating monthly self-portraits. Every month I would dig deep, look inside myself, find something I was struggling with mentally, and bring it to life visually as a form of therapy. It was only supposed to be a year-long project, but it exploded into a place where I could pour my ideas and stories that had been trapped in my head for so long. While sometimes being uplifting and encouraging and other times being as unwelcome as a surgeon’s scalpel, my “monthly self-portraits” explore topics like imposter syndrome, depression, perfectionism, anxiety, growth, loss, and the human condition. My work is created to be raw, honest, both ugly and beautiful, haunting, and sharp.

What started as a simple therapeutic way for me to process and grow, to my complete surprise, has caught people’s attention and grown into 230,000+ following on Instagram. Videos of the creation of my pieces have gone viral with one video alone receiving over 24+ million views, and my work has been featured worldwide, including by BuzzFeed and UniLad. The way I express honesty and vulnerability has resonated with people in a way I could never imagine.

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Fun Facts About Michael:

•Avid Ultramarathon Trail Runner & has completed a 100 mile race

•Loves to travel

•Has a dog named Winston

•As a child asked for jars of green olives for presents every Christmas and Birthday

•Loves the smell of Cedar

•Is one of the Cilantro tastes like soap people

•Obsessed with the Tour de France

•Has a Theatre degree and worked as a professional actor