Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Stewart.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
After studying film in college I ended up working in travel and tourism and had largely put my camera down while I focused on my new career. Then a little over a year ago a good friend of mine asked me to come out and take photos during a comedy show he was producing. So, I did and honestly, I had so much fun with it I was completely hooked, and decided to keep doing it week after week. Taking photos of people while they’re performing is a particular challenge because they’re not posing for you, so you can’t say “a little to the left!” or anything like that, you just have to capture that perfect moment while it’s happening.
Over time I feel I’ve gotten really good at picking up on the performer’s cues, so I can tell when someone’s about to laugh or smile to do some sort of interesting facial expression. It’s hard, but that’s what makes it fun. What’s most rewarding however is each week posting the photos on Facebook and tagging the performers, then seeing their reactions. They usually really like them and often will even make them into their profile pictures or use them on posters to promote their shows. It’s a special kind of validation which feels very genuine and tells me I’m doing a good job.
Please tell us about your art.
I’m a photographer specializing in headshots and performance photos of other creative people who are working hard at what they do. Personally, I feel really privileged to be a part of that process, to play some part in their creative journey. I like making people feel good about themselves, especially since I know just how much of a raw, honest and just plain hard thing it is to put yourself out there and create something that is truly and uniquely you, then send it out into the world and hope people like it. I want the people I photograph to feel like stars.
I try to achieve a certain cinematic quality with my photos, I think this is largely influenced by my time studying film and falling in love with the work of cinematographers like Zhang Yimou and Christopher Doyle. Now that I’m getting more and more re-acquainted with photography, I think some film projects won’t be too far off on the horizon.
Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
I think the role of artists is to ignite people’s imaginations. Whenever I see the work of other artists it gives me an idea for a new project of my own I’d like to take on. As an artist I hope my work will inspire others to put forth their own vision, however that manifests.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The best way to support is to hire me! I do head shots, event photography, and any other kind of photography you might want. I also do video, custom art pieces, and graphic design. I’m pretty active on both Facebook and Instagram, so those are great places to start to check out some of my work in all of these mediums.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mjstew.weebly.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjstew00/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelStewartMedia/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mjstew
Image Credit:
My personal photo, credits to Joél Carela
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
