An Emotional Photographer

"If enduring photography is based not only on technique but real feeling, then Michael Priest is the real thing, an artist with vision, empathy and soul." -- Rolling Stone Magazine critic

For Michael Priest, photography is a life force, a reflection of the excitement and movement of a world he views with unbridled enthusiasm. "I'm inspired by so many people and so many places," says the young artist, "and I try to let that inspiration lead me. I'm astounded by all the beauty that surrounds me. I want my photographs to reveal my sense of wonder and surprise at how varied the human and natural world can be. The idea of creating or capturing these images on film by simply painting them with light is amazing to me. I like to think of myself as an emotional photographer."

Priest was born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in Scarsdale, New York. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Spanish and International Studies. Afterward, Priest enrolled in the International Center of Photography (ICP) where he has taken numerous photography classes. As an undergrad student, his work was featured at the Frog Hollow Art Gallery in Burlington, Vermont.

Priest has also established himself as a successful commercial photographer in Vail, Colorado. Specializing in outdoor portraiture, he was hired by the Vail Valley foundation as their official photographer of the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships. He is also one of the photographers of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team.

His assignments have run the gamut from brochures in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and corporate shoots in in Manhattan, to wild life in Kenya and Tanzania. You'll find Priest's name on the back of dozens of books, where he has done author photos (including best-selling authors, David Baldacci, Patricia Gaffney and Fern Michaels)

-- Currently, Priest is freelancing in the New York City area and working on upcoming projects. He hopes you enjoy viewing his work.

Client List

92nd St Y
AABGU
ACWIS
Adaptive Spirit
AISH Center
AJC
Alliance Building Services
American Friends of Magen David Adom
American Committee for Shaare ZedeK
American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)
Animal Specialty Center
Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
Bank of America
Birthright Israel Foundation
Breaking Ground
Brudner Group
Callison RTKL
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Central Synagogue
Choice Logistics
City Squash
Conference of Presidents
Criminal Justice Agency
Diageo
East Harlem School
EJ Electric
Emet Capital Management
Everglades Foundation
Financial Dynamics
FTI Consulting
Food for Thought
Friends of the IDF (FIDF)
Fuel for Truth
Gladstone Place Partners
Grandstand Sports
Ground Truth
Hadassah
Hebrew Free Loan Society
Heritage Surgical Group
Hiller, PC
Horizon Group
Hospital for Special Surgery
Intercept Pharmaceuticals
Invest Corp
Israel Policy Forum (IPF)
Jack Morton Worldwide/ EEI Global
JCC Manhattan
Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services (JBFCS)
Jewish Communal Fund
Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)
Jewish Federation of Greater Metro West New Jersey
Jewish National Fund
JW Levin Management Parners LLC
Keane & Beane
Kensington Vanguard
Kings County Tennis League
Krane Funds Advisors, LLC
L-3 Technologies
LionTree
Make A Wish Foundation
Met Council
Meor Manhattan
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
Myocarditis Foundation
National Yiddish Theater
New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association (NJSBA)
New Jersey Doctor / Patient Alliance (NJDPA)
New York Association for Jewish Children (JCCA)
NY Common Pantry
New York State Bar Association
New York Yankees
Outward Bound
Paley Center for Media
PIMCO
Project Kesher
Reade Street Prep
Shalom Hartman
Sidley Austin
Steiner Sports
SOCi
Soho China / Seven Valleys
T&M Protection Resources
Takeda
Temple Israel Center
The Durst Organization
Tourette Association of America
UJA - Federation of New York
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM)
Veterinary Centers of America (VCA)
View Incorporated
Wish You Were Here Foundation
WNYC
Youth Renewal Fund
Young President's Organization (YPO)