My first experience with photography was in the early years of elementary school. Just around third grade, Kodak and Belmont Hills Elementary School in Bensalem, Pennsylvania teamed up to give students an opportunity to experience what was then a film industry and compete for who could capture the most impressive images using a cardboard box, throw away camera. Just like any photography contest, there were multiple categories to compete in, and a first, second, and third place winner. I wasn’t one of them. In fact I can’t say with any certainty that I came even close to the winners circle. It didn’t matter, I was 8 or 9 years old, but it did instill an interest that festered until the latter years of high school and came to full fruition while enrolled at The George Washington University.

My father being a professional photographer in his own right along with my mother who basically supports me in any venture I undertake, regardless of how creative it might be, nurtured my interest in the art as I progressed through grade school by supplying me with point and shoots of various kinds and qualities and paying to develop film before finally purchasing me my first digital camera, a Canon Powershot A10. I took that camera everywhere and indulged in the fact that I could shoot and delete as I went along. During my time with this camera, I began to embrace photography simply as a hobby, formulating a very basic knowledge of the art including how to frame a shot and what too look for when doing so.

I went into The George Washington University as an undecided freshman and thoroughly enjoyed my freshman year of college. I had always been a good student through grade school, while simultaneously holding community and international leadership positions yet seemed to digress that first year away from home.

Finally having gotten my act together during the summer between freshman and sophomore year, I positioned myself for a degree in Criminal Justice, studying the social sciences and law with every intent of continuing on to law school following graduation. I began to refocus on studies and grades and managed to successfully complete sophomore year with a far better conclusion than that of the year prior.

When I became a junior, things began to become clearer. I had already declared my major as Criminal Justice and was well on my way to completing it, but I had also acquired my first DSLR camera, a Nikon D50. I found myself venturing out at all hours of the night and day to see what I could find that would be worthy of shooting. Living in Washington D.C. there was always something going on so this was a fairly easy feat capable of being repeated endlessly.

One afternoon I walked down H Street in the center of campus and found myself in the middle of a protest against abortion. Washington D.C. is obviously a political hotspot and everyone who lives in it has an opinion that they have every comfort in the world voicing. Luckily I carried that camera everywhere. I went and immediately started shooting the back and forth discourse between protesters, religious fanatics, and students whom seemed to for the most part to disagree with this demonstration.

Elbowing my way through the crowd, I reached the nucleus of the impromptu rally shoving the lens of my camera in the faces of two men arguing back and forth over the issue. When I returned home to view the pictures, I was fairly impressed with my work and was overcome with an urge to do more.

I made a trip to the White House (which was only blocks away) and the national mall at least once a week as well as explored other areas of D.C. at least every other. I began to build a portfolio of moderately stirring images, a platform from which I have been able to build myself into what I am today. 

I also began to write a lot. I would write about anything. I would go shoot for an hour and write comments about what I shot. I would attend events, or walk down to the Georgetown waterfront and write some sort of reflective blog about how the birds flew and landed on the docks or how snow fell in perfect patterns and frequencies to blanket the city as if to tuck it in for a long, restful night. I posted many of these on an amateur, mildly aesthetically appealing blog and was surprised to find that I actually attracted readers. 

I followed this track for a while but it seemed to grow into more of a hobby than anything else. I was knee deep in senior year and needed to worry about graduating and not about taking pictures, although I continued to find myself discovering reasons to grab my camera and shoot here and there. 

One evening in late fall I was alone in my apartment frustrated and angry. I was concerned about what the future held for me as I just wasn’t sure that law was what I wanted to do yet and I was worried that I had nothing else to embrace. I was overwhelmed with anxiety that I had nothing I was “good at”. Then walking from my kitchen to my living room with a hot plate of chicken wings it hit me; I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER, or at least I could be.

I went and looked at some of the better shots I had taken over the past few years and saw a clear progression of increasing quality. People had always said that I took really great pictures, but I never really absorbed it. I realized that they were right as I sifted through my “portfolio” album in iPhoto that night. 

From that day on I focused mostly on photography. I researched techniques, methods, gear, etc. all I could. I took as many pictures as I could in as many places as possible. I also began to develop and maintain a real portfolio and took more care in photo’s and writings I released on my freshly redesigned blog, which also came as a product of this epiphany. 

Days, weeks, and months later, I found myself constantly searching for upcoming events, rallies, protests, and gatherings throughout D.C. to go to and shoot to continue to pad my portfolio. I continued to study technique and ins and outs of DSLR’s all while simultaneously graduating from The George Washington University.

Everything I learned outside of what was supplied via an automatic setting on the D50 and what my father had taught me about framing shots was self-taught. I have never taken a class in photography and in some respects I find my struggle to be a much more fulfilling experience although I am not suggesting class is not worth it. There are some very talented teachers in the world, a union that I will find myself apart of one day.

As my knowledge of photography grew and quality of work increased, I found myself able to start finding jobs taking pictures for organizations and individuals in the D.C. area. One of my earliest “gigs” was shooting stock photos for a friends GW student government campaign. this was followed by a number of little jobs until i snagged a chance to shoot a Rock the Vote concert sponsored by Thomas Wooton High School, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, and Rock the Vote. By virtue of this opportunity, I was able to add Travis McCoy and The Gym Class Heroes, Pat Mcgee Band, and Tyga to my portfolio in the form of some impressive shots. 

From there on, I knew what I wanted and went for it. It took some effort and persistence, but I finally was able to upgrade equipment to a Nikon D90 with a new mid-range telephoto zoom lens to add to a collection of lenses and SLR bodies owned by my family since the 1960’s. Following this new addition to my camera bag, I landed a job shooting a series of educational seminars hosted by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars that aired on C-SPAN Television. Amongst those I was responsible for shooting was Congressman Mickey Edwards, Steve Bell, Brian Lamb, Juan Zarate, and sitting Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.

It was after this that I was teetering on the edge between professional and amateur photographer. I had shot some fairly high profile events and some pretty famous people while producing high quality products. It would only take a slight push and a snowballing of occurrences following this project that would send me on my way toward making a real concerted effort at establishing myself as a professional.

Friends and family had begun to notice the quality work I was turning out and I had begun receiving compliments from all over including from strangers who had managed to find my stuff online.

With credibility surging, I went after every opportunity I could to shoot anyone I could until one found me. A friend of mine who had been following my work from over seas in Israel sent me an email one day with dual intent. One side of it was to express his interest and compliments on my photography, but also to elicit my services in covering a mission to the United States by the Mayor of Jerusalem. I immediately accepted and found myself shooting exclusively in meetings between Mayor Nir Barkat of Jerusalem, Israel and Senator Joe Lieberman, House Majority Whip Eric Cantor, Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, inside House on Foreign Affairs Committee closed meetings, and meet-and-greets with statesmen, business tycoons, and community leaders like Susan Komen, George Will, and many others.

Little did I know at the time, this experience would lead to a continuing partnership, proceeding to follow the Mayor again a couple of months later and will be again in October 2010.

The experience covering the mayor allowed for me to add a strong political category to my portfolio and have since been able to file events with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, The Conservative Political Action Committee, The Chicago Lab School, The Washington Center, The Katz-Watson Group, and even the sitting Vice-President of the United States Of America Joe Biden under that category.

Finding myself finally well-rounded in the field of photography and having become a seasoned professional turning out extremely high quality work for some very important people, I found my possibilities endless.

I began reaching further than I had ever before, establishing a political documentary company known as Political Pixels and branding my own name as an artist displaying a portfolio under the brand of “MIchael”. Having gained immense credibility and enhanced confidence from all that I have accomplished I began approaching companies, artists, musicians, organizations, and designers in a fashion of cold-calling or in this case cold-emailing.

As a result of my ambition and motivation I have found myself recently shooting DC fashion week runways front and center as well as VIP parties and pre-show model prep. I have also shot all-access at Virgin Mobile Festival at Merriweather Post Pavillion exclusively on stage and backstage with artists like Wolfgang Gartner, Neon Indian, and Chromeo.

As days go by, more and more opportunities become available and I am as charged as ever to find them. Only days after Virgin Fest I had been in touch with Will Eastman, a DJ that performed in Dance Forrest who will be using photos for press kits and publications and had a short editorial written about my work on stage at the festival by the Dust Project.

Over the span of my career, I have been featured by The Dust Project, Ten Miles Square, Congressman Gary Ackerman, DJ Will Eastman, DCist, Washingtonian, ARThood, MSNBC, various israeli media outlets, and in a number of publications across a gamut of industries.

 ….. and its only the beginning.