Meet Mike Soul

A young man smiling at the camera standing outdoors on a grassy area with a large rocky cliff in the background, wearing a white t-shirt, cap, sunglasses, and a watch.

I'm Mike, a commercial photographer and videographer based in Dana Point, California.

I got my start interning with Peter Taras at Surfing Magazine and later worked under Chris Burkard, which is where I learned that the best outdoor and lifestyle content comes from actually being out there, not staging it from a distance. That's still how I shoot today.

My work sits at the intersection of outdoor lifestyle, travel, fishing, and hospitality. I've worked with brands such as Hyundai, AFTCO, Turtlebox, and Spy Optic, and more, with hospitality clients like Nomada Hotel Group and Casa Palma Hotel & Bungalows. Some days that means chasing light on an offshore fishing trip, other days it's capturing a property so it actually feels like the place instead of a stock photo of it. Photo or video, the goal is always the same: make it feel like you were there.

When I'm not on a shoot, I'm probably out fishing, on the water, or walking the beach with my dog, Ranger. Southern California is home, and it shows up in almost everything I make.

If you're a brand or hotel looking for content that feels real rather than produced, I'd love to hear what you're working on.