Michel Hersen: Biography
Michel Hersen’s photography of the West, Northwest, and Southwest is inspired by knowledge of Hudson River School painting. His objective is to present the viewer with a tableau permeated by inner light taking advantage of 21st century artistic vision. His photographic art is characterized by a clear compositional framework, luminosity, and coloration. Hersen is a Field Contributor to Nature Photographer and he is a member of the North American Nature Photography Association. Eighteen of his Oregon Landscapes were the subject of a one-person exhibition (Michel Hersen: Oregon Landscapes) at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art in Salem, Oregon, from August 7, 2010 until October 10, 2010. They now are in the permanent collection of that Museum. His landscape, nature, and wildlife photographs have appeared in Shutterbug, Nature Photographer, Pacific Magazine, Camping Life, the Oregonian, the American Psychologist, Brainstorm Northwest Magazine, Cabin Life, Country, Amateur Photographer, Night Sky, Starry Night Times, Pacific Coast Philology, Oregon Lakes & Rivers Magazine, Photographer’s Forum, Portland Business Journal, WildBird Magazine.com, The Garden Path (from the Portland Japanese Garden), and NANPA Expressions 2012 (the 250 best images from the North American Nature Photography Association Showcase Competition). His work also has been published in the Portland Japanese Garden Calendar, the Oregon Field Guide Calendar (2009), and the Oregon Public Broadcasting Calendar (2012).. He has been the winner of numerous photographic competitions, including Oregon Wild in 2008 (First Prize) and 2011 (Honorable Mention), Silver Linings Contest in 2008 (First Prize), Oregon Naturally Contest 2010 (Second Prize), and Washington County Nature & Wildlife Competition 2010 (First Prize). He has exhibited and sold his works at the Grand Works Northwest Art Festival, has exhibited his work at the Cawein Gallery at Pacific University, and sold his work at the Portland Japanese Garden. His photo of the Portland Japanese Garden in Autumn serves as the cover for the Connections Brochure of Providence Home Services of Providence Health & Services and also hangs in Portland City Hall. Several of Hersen’s photographs are in the art collection at Pacific University. Two of Hersen’s photographs were exhibited at the Oregon Salon of Photography at the Oregon State Fair in 2010 and two in 2011. His photos of the Portland Japanese Garden are in collections both in the United States and Japan. He is the December 2010 winner of the Picture of the Week Contest (December 9-15, 2010) sponsored by Nature's Best Photography Magazine, associated with the Smithsonian. Hersen's shot of a Northern Pintail Taking Off is the Grand Prize Winner of the 2011 Oregon Lakes & Rivers (Live) Bird Hunting Photo Contest. Hersen's photo of the McKenzie River serves as the cover for Lilian Duval's novel: You Never Know." From April 29 ,2011 through the Summer of 2011 Hersen was one of two photographers featured in an exhibition entitled: Beautiful/Gritty: Nature/City, held at International Images Ltd. in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. This exhibition was reviewed in the September 3, 2011 issue of Art News, with the reviewer stating that: "Hersen's images have a sublime quality. . ." (p. 121). Hersen's portrayal of a Male Wood Duck was the Photo of the Week (April 18-April 24, 2011) for Oregon Road Trippers and also his shot of the Portland Japanese Garden for the August 15-21, 2011 Photo of the Week. In addition, his shot of the Santiam Pass in Autumn was Photo of the Week (September 19-15, 2011), the one of First Snow on the Salmon River was Photo of the Week (November 21-27, 2011), and the Great Blue Heron was the Photo of the Week December 19-25, 2011). On July 21, 2011 Hersen gave a presentation at the Maryhill Museum of Art (Goldendale, Washington) entitled: "Make that picture: Don't just take it" at the Summer Art Institute on Earth, Fire, Water, Air: The Elements of Creativity. Hersen is the Third Place Winner in the Landscape Category for the 2011 Catch the Color Wooden Shoe Tulip Photo Contest. Hersen's photos of birds seen at Commonwealth Lake Park in Beaverton, Oregon was the subject of Kyla Merwin Cheney's essay (Captured in Time) in Oregon Lakes & Rivers Magazine (December 19, 2011). From January 11, 2012 through February, 2012 Hersen participated with Les Dougherty and E.J. Baeza in an exhibition at Valley Art Gallery in Forest Grove, Oregon. Hersen's photo of the Marion Bells at Dawn reached the top 10 in the 2011 Photo of the Year Contest. This photo was exhibited at the Oregon Historical Society in January and February, 2012. Hersen's Photo of the "Devil's Golf Course at Sunset" in Death Valley National Park was selected for the North American Nature Photographer Association's Daily Sampler on February 19, 2012. His photo of "Butte Falls" was the Photo of the Week (February 21-26, 2012) for Oregon Road Trippers as was his photo of the "Tulip Festival" (April 17-22, 2012. Two of Hersen's shots of wildlife are in the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge brochure. His photo entitled "Sunset at Seal Rock" was selected for the North American Nature Photographer's Daily Sampler for March 14, 2012. During April 2012 Hersen had an exhibition of several of his Death Valley series photographs at the Pro Photo Supply Lab Gallery in Portland, Oregon. Hersen's photo entitled "Sunrise on the Dunes" was selected for the North American Nature Photographer's Daily Sampler for April 7, 2012. Examples of Hersen’s work can be seen at Photographybymichel.net