Michael Brown attended graduate school at the School of Visual Communication (Ohio University) and completed his Master's Project in Photojournalism in 2003.

Also in 2003, while working as a newspaper intern, he won the 58th Annual College Photographer of the Year competition from the Missouri School of Journalism.

In 2004 he completed a photography internship at National Geographic Magazine and has since been assigned work by publications such as National Geographic and Time.

He lives in New York City.

Q: Tell us about your artistic aesthetic.
A: As a kid I used piano and sports to communicate artistically. In high school I ruptured a major ligament in my knee and was sidelined from the million activities I loved to do. All my friends were active and I felt separated from them after a while because I could not participate. During this time my dad introduced me to photography, teaching me about camera technique and how to use the darkroom in our house. This is when I began learning how to express emotion, what I was feeling, into a photograph, where as before I only knew how to express this through piano or free-skiing, for example.
One thing I love about art and the artistic process is I can always come back to it, it is always there. No matter what happens in life: a relationship breakup, going broke, an illness; the satisfaction I get from creating and communicating is what keeps me going.

Q: Tell us how others describe your work versus how you see it? Do they get it?
A: People look at my work and see good light, color, and composition. They see in the best images emotion and intimacy. Most understand my work because it is pretty simple and straightforward, as I am. I like to experiment but always simplify as much as possible, only including in the frame what is essential to communicate the message.

Q: Give us an example of obstacles you have overcome or are currently struggling with?
A: I just moved to New York City to begin freelancing. What could be more of an obstacle than that? This is a crazy and complex place, and the only way to survive as a photographer is to hustle. Though I have been working on creating a business and have not been photographing much in the past several months, I am beginning to form a voice. That is, basically, what I think is important to communicate. I am finally out of school and not working for anybody but myself. This is a hard time to face, being on one's own with 'no direction home.' But it's a beautiful time, a magical time.