About the Owner
Michael Slade has been photographing professionally all over the world for the past 17 years. He cut his teeth stringing and freelancing for almost every daily newspaper in Utah and as well as the Associated Press. He has worked overseas photographing for clients such as the Far-Eastern Economic Review, Forbes Magazine and Newsweek, at the time being represented internationally by Sygma Photo News.
Michael graduated from Utah State University with a BA degree in photography. He studied from both ends of the discipline, going through the photojournalism curriculum, then changing his major and completing a full degree in fine-art photography. Being exposed to varying disciplines of photography has made him a well-rounded and thorough photographer. Michael is, at heart, a story teller. His medium is the camera and the images it can produce.
For the past seven years he has run his own studio in Portland, Oregon. Clients have ranged from architects, interior designers and ad agencies, to large projects with clients such as Addidas, Alcatel, Warn, ARB and Land Rover. His style is a mixture of documentary photography with a more methodical studied-out approach. Drawing his inspiration from painters and sculptors as well as from photographers of all disciplines, it’s the little details of his images that don’t go overlooked.
Working in formats ranging from 35mm, 6x7, 4x5 to 8x10, Michael has recently devoted the majority of his work to the digital camera. He was an early adopter of Nikon’s D1 series of digital cameras, having the first studio in Portland to use it. Having graduated to the latest iteration, the D1x, Slade uses the digital camera coupled with the computer to produce photographic images that were previously impossible with traditional film-based cameras. Compositing, layering, blending and pushing pixels around in the digital darkroom has transformed the way he builds an image. The creative process is much more spontaneous and fluid now with tremendous room for experimentation and improvisation even while the images are still being saved to the memory of the camera.
In addition, Slade has also cofounded a stock photography agency, FogStock, that was founded in Portland in 2000. Part-owner as well as a contributor, Michael knows what it is that makes images special, both through the critiquing process refined by years of editing his and other photographers images, as well as culling through thousands of submissions for the stock agency.
As an extension of his photography, Michael has always owned a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. Calling them his ‘four-wheel-drive camera cases’, he has found them to be an indispensable part of his effectiveness as a photographer. As a result of his affection for off-roading and traveling into wilderness areas, many of Slade’s clients have come from the off-roading realm. Putting his skills as an off-road driver has come in handy when needing to get a truck load of photographic gear deep inside a canyon or high on a mountain side.
Trained in off-road driving, winching, vehicle recovery and maintenance, Slade’s repertoire has broadened to that of much more than just being a photographer. Receiving training in CPR and advanced first-aid has also added to his skill set.
The creation of Tawàyama Safaris occurred as a natural blending of his various skills.
Taking people that have not had a great deal of wilderness experience to the places he has photographed professionally for the last ten years is the goal of his trips. Offering the expert photographic instruction and advise that came from years of working as a professional also gives clients attending his safaris an additional bonus. Trips are tailored to photographers, and their need to be able to linger in areas and wait for the light.
He has taken the time to research various locations, learn the history, geography and other various aspects of what makes that area unique. Additionally he has visited personally each and every location numerous times and understands the specific requirements to traveling into and out of each area.
Offering trips that range in length from 5 to 20 days, Slade’s company fully caters to their clients. By using experienced overland drivers driving in company owned vehicles, furnishing all of the camping gear necessary, and providing all of the meals, the trips are a very relaxing and non-threatening way for clients to experience the wilderness.
Placing them in locations far off the beaten path, at ideal times of the season, poised to photograph when the light is at it’s peak, Slade has put together a package for even the most seasoned traveler as well.
Putting his love for the outdoors, and his enthusiasm to help the new-adventurer explore it, Slade finds this new career path extremely rewarding.
A small selection of Michael's work is on line and can be viewed HERE.
