Michael Hubbard's journey into photography began as a child growing up in Carmel, California, a town renowned for its vibrant artistic community. Immersed in this environment, he found inspiration in the works of local legends such as Ansel Adams and Ed Weston, setting an exceptionally high standard for his own aspirations.

Being surrounded by creatives like these made a huge impact on Mike and he has always viewed life through the perspective of a photographer’s eye, constantly aware of creative composition and detail.

In conjunction with photography Michael is focused on design projects ranging from graphic poster art using various mediums to sculpture and furniture design. Having such varied interests has created an atmosphere where each project helps fuel his next inspiration.

Today we’re bombarded by information, accosted by others vying for our attention, and pulled off course by the constant distractions of technology.

Because of this, Mike firmly believes that a single image, a static moment in time, is more important than ever before because it allows the viewer to stop, take a moment for themselves and escape to a different place.

Michael’s work is primarily focused on subject matter that best fits within a modern or eclectic environment. Regardless of the medium, his primary goal is to create art that incorporates a strong sense of design, while provoking thought, and ultimately taking viewers to that different place.

If you want to experience soul in its purest form, spend some time with a four-year old. Ask them anything, and you will receive the unvarnished truth. A four-year old will have no issue telling you your teeth are yellow, or your nose is big! As we "mature" Soul is something we tend to repress in order to get by and conform to the acceptable structures of society. But in that pursuit, there can be great loss: a loss of transparency, honesty and in some cases, people simply lose touch with who they really are. I don’t think this is something people consciously let go of. Unfortunately life can wear away at your soul as we navigate the challenges of our journey. In extreme cases we may call these people “soulless”. Regretfully, today we seem to see this all too often in society, and I personally find it terrifying. People with soul can more effectively navigate this life without it changing who they really are.

This is a critical survival tool, honed in all living creatures since the beginning of time. Humans are the only animal with the arrogance to ignore these primal intuitions, thinking that surely our intellect and evolutionary status atop the food chain knows better. People have other names for Instinct. It’s sometimes referred to as -“a gut feeling”-, or -“that little voice in your head”-. Any way we frame it, the common thread is that this instinct is trying to tell us a very basic thing. What should I do, and how will my actions impact me, and those around me? However you choose to look at it, following our instincts is a skill that requires practice, and it takes real courage to listen to and trust those feelings. To follow our instincts doesn’t mean we’ll always be right, but I’ll take the odds on my gut over arrogance any day. Ignore your primal instincts at your own peril. Listen to your instincts and you can always say you did your best.

Desire is that drive and motivation that gets you out of bed in the morning. People who have Desire don’t have a job or an obligation, they have a purpose. Some may confuse desire with greed, but to me this is like confusing love with lust. There is a difference. One has depth and emotion, while the other is superficial and empty.

Over the past several years we’ve all lived through some really difficult times which have personally forced me to think long and hard about the three traits I describe above. I can't help but wonder if we all focused on these three qualities, would we find ourselves in a better place?

After much thought, I’ve condensed these three qualities into an acronym that I try to keep in mind and practice every day: SID. So now when I see someone who exhibits these traits I simply say, “That person has SID”.