Michael Hanson is an award-winning Pacific Northwest-based photographer and filmmaker. Michael's photography career began while playing professional baseball in the Atlanta Braves Organization. His in-depth storytelling work has taken him around the world for clients such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, Washington Post, Outside Magazine, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Apple, Amazon, Esquire and Starbucks. He has taught workshops in South America and on the Columbia River as a Nat Geo Expert on National Geographic Expeditions. Michael’s series, Portraits of the Omo, from Ethiopia remains in the Sir Elton John Permanent Collection.

 

Awards / Grants

Telly Award, 300 Mile Menu, Amazon

Artist-in-Residency, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, The Way West

POYi, Republic of Baseball, New York Times

Communication Arts, Republic of Baseball, New York Times

PDN30 New and Emerging Photographers

America's Top Travel Photographers, Popular Photography

Mountainfilm Commitment Grant for Who Owns Water

Patagonia Environmental Grant for Who Owns Water

Images of the Year, American Photo

AI-AP Motion Arts Award for Who Owns Water

Banff Film Festival

National Geographic Viewer's Choice

ADDY for MS Society TV Spot

FYI, Folio Eddie Award

 

Selected Clients

The New York Times, Getty Images, The New Yorker, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Outside Magazine, Esquire, Agence France-Press, Apple, Starbucks, REI, Eddie Bauer, Nike, Patagonia, Gates Foundation, National Geographic Traveler + Adventure, Smithsonian, Weight Watchers, Purina, Amazon

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Exhibits / Screenings

Imogen Gallery, The Way West, 2026 (upcoming)

Gallery301, The Way West, 2024

Mountainfilm Adventure Shorts, I Am Here, 2024

Columbia Center for the Arts, The Way West, 2023

Fundación Konrad Adenauer, Last Herders of Apolobamba, 2021

Life, Annenburg Space for Photography, Selected Works, 2016

The Fence, Republic of Baseball, 2016

Georgia Public Broadcasting, Who Owns Water, 2015

University of Georgia, Who Owns Water, 2015

Mountainfilm on Tour, Who Owns Water, 2015

Atlanta Film Festival, Who Owns Water, 2015

Sidewalk Film Festival, Who Owns Water, 2015

Featherstone Gallery, Portraits of the Omo, 2014

Mountainfilm (Telluride), Who Owns Water, 2014

Env Film Festival in the National's Capital, Who Owns Water, 2014

Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Who Owns Water, 2014

Macon Film Festival, Who Owns Water, 2014

Sir Elton John Collection, Portraits of the Omo, 2012

Bare Hands Gallery, Nahuala, Guatemala, 2006