We’re looking forward to introducing you to Michael Gillman. Check out our conversation below.
Michael, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I generally start with browsing Instagram and checking out what my fellow photographers have been up to! Shortly after our cats notice that I’m awake and doing anything at all besides feeding them, they pile on me and make sure they get their breakfast! Then, it’s time top hop in the Jeep, head off to my favorite bagel place, and plan the rest of my day while having a toasted asiago bagel with cream cheese.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I love people. I love nature. I love experiences. This is mainly what I deal in. There are a lot of different types of photography that I’ve gravitated towards over the years. Some aspects of photography, like landscapes, I knew I liked right away when I first started shooting.
Some, like portraiture and events, I gravitated towards a little later. As I’ve gotten older, and have had a lot of wonderful life experiences, I take pleasure in capturing other’s experiences as well, whether it’s a birthday event, a wedding, senior photos, etc. I enjoy being a part of someone’s special day and capturing it through my lens!
A few other facets I enjoy is shooting Broadway and concerts for a great local venue, Durham Performing Arts Center. Music has always been a big part of my life. Other interests are street photography and wildlife. I’m a huge fan of animals!
As for what makes me unique, I believe it’s the same thing that makes most photographers out there unique, for better or worse. It’s how you treat people. It’s your interactions, It’s how you can relate to their experiences, having lived through a lot of experiences of your own, and how much care you take in capturing them. I believe this is a strongpoint for me. I genuinely am interested in people’s stories, and love to be a part of their experience, no matter what the occasion.
If I were to tell any budding event/portrait photographer out there reading this one thing, it’s this: Get to know people. Pay attention to behaviors. Learn to anticipate moments that may happen. Social media can be great for inspiration, and well worth checking out what your favorite creators have been up to, but make it a habit of putting your phone down, and having your own experiences, rather than just reading about them. The more life experiences you have, and the more people you interact with in person, can really benefit you in your craft and how you interact with your clients, and most importantly, learning behaviors and how to look for moments.
There is so much more to event photography that just the pure technical aspects and nailing down the perfect composition and lighting. You’re crafting very thin slices of life that people will look back on for years to come. Make those shots count.
As for what I’m working on, I’m working on me. Having more of those life experiences that I treasure. Working on being more relatable to the people around me, and learning more and more what makes certain moments more special for others, I love working on the philosophy of my craft!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
For me, it was moving away from a small mountain town, to a city with over a half-a-million people. Getting to know a larger group of diverse people, and having the opportunity to see the world through so many other’s eyes, be it through conversations or group outings, was a major benefit in my life. I still make time to regularly speak with new people and go to networking events.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I feel this may be the obvious answer, but it’s that not everything you do, no matter how well you think you’re doing, will be full successful. You’re going to fail at certain times in your life, which can lead to suffering, but without those failures, there are things you would never learn about yourself. Your resilience. You’re ability to learn how to deal with failure. It’s often, that in times of failure, that we learn to grow, and not so much when everything is on cruise control and going the way we think it should.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. I don’t have the knack for acting that I wish I did! If I were ever to pursue acting, the pinnacle of my career would probably be “non-speaking background family member” in a laundry detergent commercial.
I don’t know how to be anyone else but me!
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
Beyond the images I’ve captured for them, and continue to do, I’d hope it would be my personality and sense of humor. Just who I am as a person, camera aside. That would be my hope.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.michaelgillman.photography/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelgillman.photography/
- Twitter: https://x.com/theexiffiles
