About Mike​​
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It's hard to articulate exactly how big of an impact photography has had on my life. For me, it's artwork, expression, authenticity and whole language within itself that I have become fluent in. There is this amazing technical and clockwork aspect to controlling light; shutter speeds, apertures, lights, etc. Then you combine it with the social component of WHY you're capturing and WHO it's for becomes something truly unique and special. As a kid I never played sports, music, or hardly participated in any extra curricular activities and I never even touched a camera until I was almost done with high school (2001). But once I did, I just never stopped. Taking photos gave me a way to connect with people, express myself and honestly built a lot of confidence in who I am today. About a year after high school, tinkering and teaching myself a bit, I decided I wanted to pursue some more formal training and enlisted in the Marine Corps for tuition assistance. After being yelled and screamed at (a lot) I would go on to learn the basics in a dark room - Yes, 35mm film! In Grand Rapids where I lived most of my life. I was attached to a reserve unit so in the time between drill trainings I would attend classes and start laying a foundation for what is now Forward Exposure LLC - Officially founded in May of 2014 and thrilled to still be doing what I love every day!
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I like to think of every job as a collaboration as opposed to just picking from a list of pre-constructed products. Over the years I've gotten pretty good at using my cameras - That's the easy and fun part! Crafting creative solutions to your individual needs is what set's me apart. I'm not here to sell you on what kind of gear I'm using, I just want to create genuine, authentic images and video WITH you!
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Forward Exposure Photography offers vibrant, effective corporate photography and thoughtful, creative family photography. I am dedicated to capturing the essence of your vision and brand through a professional and creative perspective. I'm committed to delivering high-quality images that exceed expectations, whether for seniors, real estate, branding or headshots; and everything in between!​
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