Welcome!

“I believe that we can harness nature’s stories to tell our own stories, and that this process of expression can improve our well-being and feed our souls. ”
— Michele Sons

~ Landscape ~ Nature ~ Fog ~ Appalachia ~ Quiet ~ Connect ~ Express ~ Create ~ Teach

~ Landscape ~ Nature ~ Fog ~ Appalachia ~ Quiet ~ Connect ~ Express ~ Create ~ Teach

Hi! I’m Michele Sons, and I’m glad you’re here.

  • I’m a professional landscape and nature photographer with a focus on connection and expression.

  • I work in the publication/commercial/editorial world as well as the fine art world. My clients include National Geographic, The Wilderness Society, Smokies Life, Eastern National, The Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and collectors throughout the United States. My work has been exhibited in museums and galleries domestically and internationally.

  • I’m an author and educator with a holistic approach, teaching about both the technical and the artistic sides of photography in my eBooks, at various online and in-person conferences, and in private mentoring sessions and private field workshops. Check out The Art of Place above for all of my learning resources.

  • I’m based in the Appalachian Mountains in the US. I’m originally from England but have lived all over the world and travelled extensively for my entire life.

  • I have degrees in environmental biology and physical geography, and I’m an avid naturalist.

  • My backstory is unusual, but it’s only part of my story. The best part of my story is my future. I strive hard every day to do my best at everything I do and to reach my full potential as a human being.

Finding My Place.

Interested to know a little more about my backstory? Watch the short video below.

Michele Sons describes her relationship with nature as a landscape and nature photographer, and how her unusual background ties into her process.

Get My FREE eBook

Get My FREE eBook

Learn more about my story in this FREE meditation on place…

Bio

Michele is a lover of fog, mist, and soft light…

Michele Sons is a fine art landscape and nature photographer, writer, and educator based in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, with clients including National Geographic, The Wilderness Society, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Smokies Life, and other non-profits that serve our nation’s national parks. Her work tends toward quiet, pared-down, subtle representations of her deep reverence for the natural world. Fog, mist, and soft light are intrinsic elements present in many of her images. Michele's uniquely nomadic background, advanced degrees in environmental biology and physical geography, and a 20-year corporate career in spatial analysis provide a personal perspective that informs her creative focus on connection and expression.

Michele empowers creative outdoor photographers to find meaningful connections with nature and grow in their artistry. The Art of Place is Michele’s holistic education resource for landscape and nature photographers, encompassing the entirety of the art and craft of photography. Through her eBooks, private online mentoring, and private field workshops, Michele shares her unique approach to expressive image-making. Learn how to connect with the natural world and express yourself confidently and creatively.

Michele’s work has been featured extensively in the National Geographic Beautiful Landscapes calendars, she has participated in group and solo museum and gallery exhibitions both domestically and internationally, and she has collaborated with non-profits on editorial work in support of America's national parks. Her work has been featured in numerous local and regional print publications as well as highly regarded websites. Michele served as 2022 New River Gorge Creative-in-Residence at our nation’s newest national park, and is a 2023 recipient of the Inspired Creator Grant. 

Michele’s educational eBooks RIVERSONG: Creative, Holistic Approaches to Photographing New River Gorge and THE ART OF FOG: A Primer for Expressive Landscape and Nature Photography in Fog are available for purchase on her website.

Media Appearances

Ways to Work with Me

  • The Art of Place

    Learn from me at The Art of Place, a new learning resource for landscape and nature photographers. The Art of Place empowers creative landscape & nature photographers to elevate their artistry and find meaningful connections with the natural world. It’s like art school … but for nature photographers.

  • Licensing for Publication

    I regularly sell my work for publication, and have experience working with non-profits, calendar publishers such as National Geographic, and regional travel publications. I understand submission requirements and my goal is to make the process as easy as possible for my clients!

  • Product Design

    My New River Gorge National Park and Preserve poster design is currently stocked as posters and postcards at gift shops throughout our nation’s newest national park. I can work with you to design similar products for state parks and other outdoor spaces - send me an email!

  • Editorial/Assignment Work

    I really enjoy assignment work and have experience working with teams to bring an article for publication to life! Old-growth forests, trail improvements, the use of a mule team in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and university wildlife research programs are just a few of the topics I’ve covered.

  • Commissioned Portraits

    Portraiture is where I began with photography, and I have many happy clients including families, high school seniors, pet owners, business owners, and more. Inquire for more information about my unique portraiture.

  • Fine Art Prints

    My husband is a master printer, and together we can print any image you see here on my website or on my Instagram account from our in-home studio We choose a warm-toned, very heavy, matte fine art paper, resulting in premium art prints with a luxe feel. Each piece is signed.

  • Art for Interiors

    If you are an interior design industry professional, I would love to discuss a partnership for your projects! The meditative quality of my work fits beautifully in private residences, healthcare and senior living facilities, and corporate offices. I can offer physical prints or licensed digital files for larger volume projects. I can curate highly targeted galleries for your specific client or location needs, dialing in color palettes, subject matter, etc. Inquire for more info!

  • Real Estate/Architectural Photography

    My former career was focused on retail and senior housing development and as a result, I have significant experience photographing large properties for marketing purposes, as well as smaller residential proerties for listing. Contact me for access to my real estate/architecture portfolio.

Contact Me for more information