Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike McDougal.
Hi Mike, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve done a little bit of everything, to be honest. When I was based in Southern California, I spent much of the early 2010s photographing the music scene. After moving back to Middle Tennessee, my work gradually shifted toward documentary photography and the places and moments I naturally found myself drawn to like small towns, rundown or forgotten spaces, roadside treasures, and the details of everyday life that are easy to pass by without noticing.
These days, my work is less about chasing a particular subject and more about documenting the people, places, and quiet moments that make up life in the American South.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Just like most of the backroads I drive, it hasn’t been a smooth road at all. I think a lot of artists who were affected by COVID in 2020 are still finding their footing today.
I’ve never claimed to be a full-time professional photographer, and I’ve never been in a position where photography could be my main source of income. I don’t have a lot of fancy, up-to-date gear, and most of my projects have to be squeezed in around a 40-hour work week. That can make it difficult to find the time, energy, and resources to keep creating.
What I do have is the passion to keep doing it. Whether a photograph ends up in front of thousands of people or no one ever sees it at all, I’m still going to pick up a camera, get in the car, and go looking for something worth documenting.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a documentary photographer focusing primarily on life in the American South, but I’ll take a picture of just about anything if the lighting is right. Most of my photographs are made after pulling over on the side of a highway or while wandering around a random town square. I’m always looking for roadside treasures, overlooked details, and things that might not be there the next time I come through. I’ll never hesitate to make a U-turn for an old sign.
My work is known for bright, contrasting colors and a minimalistic approach to documenting everyday life, particularly here in Tennessee. I’m drawn to the ordinary things people tend to pass without a second thought and finding a way to make them worth stopping and looking at.
I’m most proud of the fact that, even after more than twenty years behind a camera, I’m still evolving. My style has changed, my eye has gotten stronger, and I’m constantly pushing myself to make better photographs.
If anything sets me apart, I think it’s my attention to the small details. I’m always looking for something others might overlook and trying to photograph it in a way that makes someone see something familiar a little differently.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Probably that a most of my work is still made with a Canon 5D Mark II, a camera that was released in 2008. Photography has become so focused on having the newest cameras, lenses, and technology that I think people sometimes forget how little of that actually matters when it comes to making an interesting photograph. I’ve never been much of a gear person and the majority of the time I’m walking around with my 5D and a kit lens with a point and shoot in my pocket. If the camera still works and does what I need it to do, I’m going to keep using it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mikemcdougal.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scurvyvibes
