Meet Michael Moon | Photographer & Retoucher

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michael Moon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
For me, it was my thirst for knowledge. I wanted to learn my craft from every resource possible, so I made it a habit to watch every course I could find online and tag along with other photographers that have made names for themselves. I didn’t go to school for this, it was a passion to be the best I could be that drove me. You get what you put into it, so I gave it everything I had so I didn’t have to go back to a regular job.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I attribute a lot of my success, to my time at Apple. That experience taught me a lot about business culture, relationships with clients, and how to navigate conversation. I have always been an introvert, so putting myself out there as a business owner, representing myself to the world was, and still is, a bit of a struggle.

I’ll always remember someone once asked me, “How do you see yourself? As a Volkswagen or a BMW?” For full context, this question came up in conversation about pricing. I had already put the time in and built a portfolio that I was proud of, so my response was “a BMW”. That really got me thinking about the two brands themselves and what makes them differ. For me, it came down to the experience.

When a client books me, they know I will deliver the best experience I can possibly provide. I talk them through the entire process. The end result is imagery that they can be proud of and want to show off.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Things to do: Go to an Astros game, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo…there’s actually a great lineup this year. Space Center Houston at NASA, The Moody Gardens in Galveston, Schlitterbahn (although I hear we’re getting a Great Wolf Lodge soon), Lago Mar Lagoon, Legends Billiards in League City.

Places to eat: Whiskey Cake, Perry’s Steakhouse, Akimi (sushi) by NASA, Pho 518 and Wrap & Roll asian fusion in Pearland.

Interesting places to check out: the Waterwall by the Galleria. It’s just a really cool and unique feature.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There’s a few:

My mom. My biggest supporter and fan. I wouldn’t be where I am without her. We’d be here for days if I wrote out everything about her…but for everyone out there reading, I’ll leave it at this…the love and support from family, it’s everything.

My fiancé, Cecilia. We’ve only known each other for the last 2 years of this almost 10 year career, but she encourages me everyday to keep going. Her love and support means everything.

Art Giraldo, he was pure magic with a camera. I met this man long before either of our photography journeys started. He was a great friend, mentor, brother. Without him, I’m not sure where I’d be in my career. He’s recently passed, very unexpectedly, and I find myself still trying to talk to him.

Angel Rick Leal. My friend and brother. He’s always been there to talk to, encourage me to take on projects, brought me in on his own projects. I’ve been blessed to have him in my life to call a friend.

Website: www.themichaelmoon.com

Instagram: @michaelmoonphotography

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/michael-moon-5b4a4054

Facebook: Michael Moon Photography

Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/MichaelMoonPhotography

Image Credits
All images by Michael Moon Photography