Hi, I’m Michael Russell. Thanks for stopping by the Website.

A bit about me and my limited edition fine art photography:

I learned film photography in my father’s basement darkroom in the 1970s and early 1980s. I’ve been at it since. Much of the equipment I use now in my darkroom was either my father’s from the 1960s and 1970s, or his mentor’s from the 1930s – 1950s.

You can find me at a select handful of large, juried fine art festivals around the United States each year. I am still based near the city where I was born: Kansas City, Missouri. 

Below are some behind-the-scenes photographs of some of the equipment I use in my process, either on-location or in my darkroom. Many of the largest prints are from large format film negatives. I shoot on bellows cameras using lenses and equipment made over the past 100 years. The large format film I typically use is either Portra 400 Kodak for color or Ilford 100 black & white. To be honest, there’s not a lot of choices out there these days. 

My artistic process is very straightforward: I do a lot of research about locations, timing, and light. Then I travel there (sometimes I go there many, many times) and wait for the right light. If it comes, I make a couple of exposures on large format film. I process the film and make prints on photo paper. For acrylic, metal, and canvas prints that require a digital file, I drum scan the negative, make very minor color corrections that occur in the scanning process, then make prints.  What you see in my art is what I saw in nature. The goal is to put you in that very moment. What you do with that moment is yours.

My fine art collector prints range in size from 20×30 inches to wall size. Unless otherwise stated, all images are limited edition signed and numbered collector prints. 

The negative / image dictates the edition size; for instance, if you have a print that says 217/250, that means there are only 250 total prints from that negative in existence. Regardless of whether a print is on museum photo paper, metal, acrylic, or canvas, there are only 250 total prints. Occasionally I’m asked if I destroy the negatives; the answer is no simply for archival purposes. I hope to do a career retrospective book at some point, and many of the negatives / images will be part of that collection.

Follow me on Instagram (@N8chrPhotog) to get updates on upcoming art shows and travels. I tend to post about art shows in the month or week leading up to them; my travel posts typically only occur after I’ve left and am on the road to the next place.

Contact me with any questions. My email is mr@michaelrussellphotography.com; my phone number is 1-816-807-3937.