Michael Carr

I’m an award-winning commercial photographer and director based in Southern California (woah, that sounds pretty impressive when you write it out like that). My work blends commercial photography with an editorial approach to storytelling, creating images that feel cinematic, human, and hopefully make you feel something.

Photography and directing have always fed into each other for me. Years spent looking through a lens have given me a keen eye for the little details, the light, the composition, the gestures, the moments that make something feel real. And after a career of posing and photographing people, I’ve learned how to direct from the other side of the camera too, helping people feel comfortable, giving them something to work with, and pulling out performances that feel natural and honest. Being a photographer makes me a better director, and directing has made me a better photographer.

I work across lifestyle, product, and campaign photography. I love a strong concept, thoughtful art direction, beautiful light, and obsessing over details that probably no one else will ever notice. But at the end of the day, I just really like making great images with good people.

Outside of photography, I’m a husband of 20 years and dad to three kids. My wife and I got married young, a little old fashioned, and we’re doing our best to savor every moment together!

I don’t take myself too seriously, but I care a lot about the work. Good music on set is non-negotiable, coffee helps, and I’m a firm believer that making great work should actually be fun. Life’s too short for bad vibes, so I try to keep the bar high and the energy higher.

Black and white photo of a photo shoot in progress. A woman is posing in front of a plain background, wearing stylish clothes and high heels. The photographer, dressed in a white hoodie and striped socks, is seated while taking her picture. Large studio umbrellas and lighting equipment surround them, with one umbrella illuminated from above.
A man kneeling and taking a photograph next to a vintage red and white pickup truck, with a woman walking in the background in a rural setting with trees and barn structures.
A man with dark, styled hair and a beard, wearing a black T-shirt, sitting on a white surface with his arms crossed, looking at the camera with a playful expression, in a minimalist room with white walls and an arch detail.