Michael's profile
At age 10, Michael Ivan Schwartz captured his mother’s expression as she walked into their kitchen for her surprise 50th birthday party. This literal Kodak moment instigated a love for authentic images. Moving from film photography to digital to video, Michael Ivan’s process remains the same, that of a fly in the room.
Whether it’s a formal video interview or a spontaneous street photograph, Michael Ivan sets his subject at ease with his relaxed style and personable interaction. Using his genuine curiosity of the human condition, he achieves a deep connection to the people in his frame.
Discovering who we are behind-the-scenes is a prominent theme in his portraits. His documentary approach intimately unveils the beauty within.
“The highest compliment for me is when someone tells me I’ve captured them being themselves.”
Michael Ivan Schwartz (1969 - ) is an American documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Baltimore, Maryland.
