ABOUT ME
I truly love my work as a photographer. It brings me immense joy and fulfillment to capture beautiful moments and emotions.
I feel lucky to create art daily and share it with my clients. My goal is to make images express emotions. I aim for balance, beauty, consistency, and ongoing growth in my work.
I started taking photos at 13, inspired by my grandfather from Germany. He moved to Montana and later started a family in San Francisco. My brother and I spent weekends looking at old black and white photos in their basement. I loved watching him in his darkroom, mixing chemicals to develop pictures—it felt magical. Those early years made me the traveler I am now. My grandfather showed me how to view life from different perspectives through a camera.
I have over 18 years of experience as a professional photographer, specializing in wedding photos and fine art landscapes. I also do freelance work for travel magazines, which allows me to explore beautiful desert scenery. When I shoot locally, my dog, "The General," often joins me; he visited 29 states before he passed away in 2020. I have photographed over 900 weddings and have enjoyed meeting many wonderful clients on their special days. My wedding photography focuses on a photojournalistic style, with minimal posing, so couples can be themselves and enjoy their celebration. These genuine moments result in the best candid shots that truly reflect each couple's love story.
When I'm not photographing weddings or landscapes, I also offer family portraits, maternity photos, corporate events, commercial photography, food photography, product photography, and couple or band portraits. I'm willing to travel anywhere and enjoy meeting new people. Many clients have booked me to fly to other states for their weddings. If you're in California or New York, I would be honored to work with you. Let's chat.
I will beautifully tell your unique story with my carefully crafted photos, capturing every special moment along the way.
If you'd like to know what I'm up to or tag along my travel photo assignments, you can follow me on these social networks. Instagram: @michaelkeelphotography Facebook: michaelkeelphotography
AWARDS and Published Work:
My work has been featured in several publications, including Lonely Planet Traveler UK, Brides Magazine, WHOA Magazine, National Geographic Kids, Outdoor Photographer, North Bay Biz, gopetfriendly.com, I Shot It, Turkish Airlines (Skylife), N-Photo Nikon Deutschland, Sigma Cameras, LikeCroatia.com, San Francisco Magazine, and Hitchhikers Handbook.
For the past nine years, I've focused on our two young boys, keeping our home lively. I've been balancing family life with my photography work in beautiful Sonoma County, CA. Recently, I've started showcasing my landscape art again. My past pieces have been displayed in various galleries, received accolades, and even won contests online, including at Black Box Gallery OR, Wonderland SF Gallery, Capture the Nature, Life Framer, Exhibitions Without Walls FL, 1650 Gallery LA, Shoot the Frame, NVAL Gallery Silver Award Redding CA, Better Photo, Matrix Fine Art Albuquerque NM, Blank Wall Gallery Athens, Greece, and others.
***If you are interested in hiring me for any of my photography services, have questions, or want to purchase prints, please send me your info through my contact page.***
Fun Facts:
- Absolute favorite thing to do is to be camping, hiking, fishing with my boys, offroading to remote camping spots - just being outdoors in general.
- Music of choice while in the field making landscape photos, and road tripping: The Cure, Mark Lanegan, Tom Waits, Chris Cornell, Katatonia, Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, Concrete Blonde, Johnette Napolitano, Anathema, Nightingale, Dan Swanö, Peter Gabriel, Bowie, David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Opeth, and Sting.
- I was in the restaurant world for years and a chef for awhile, but now only cook for family and friends. I absolutely love learning about different cultures ways, food origins, history, and so on. But absolutely hate the restaurant business.
- I used to record, tour and play in bands all over the US, and have played guitar for 33 years. I still play and have been working on a solo guitar project for years. But ever since the kiddos came into our lives. It's been a struggle. Still happening though - slowly but surely. My project name is called Ashen Divide.
- X-Files fanatic, big Westerns fan, and major Sci Fi geek in general. Mostly the darker stuff like Blade Runner. My all time favorite Sci Fi movie is Interstellar.
- Current drink of choice is Laphroaig Quarter Cask Peated Whisky/Scotch.