Mike Silcher

Photography

Built around light, timing, and instinct, capturing real moments without forcing what isn’t there. Work spans architecture, lifestyle, product, human form, landscapes, motion, and built environments, always grounded in the same approach: observe, simplify, capture.


From the first frame to the final polished image, every decision matters: composition, light, timing, texture, and detail, shaping imagery that feels honest, elevated, and built to last.


Shaped by the ocean, travel, and time spent in raw environments, where awareness sharpens, and distractions disappear.


Behind the lens, the goal is simple: trust the moment, trust the eye, and capture what feels real.

Independent Explorations | Worldwide

Photographer (Freestyle)


Landscape, nature, and wildlife photography guided by light, composition, instinct, and timing. Driven by exploration and discovery, often off the beaten path, where conditions shift and moments can’t be staged. Made while traveling, hiking, and moving through changing environments, responding in real time to what unfolds, balancing precision and instinct to create images shaped by experience, not control. Select work is occasionally available as prints or for licensing.

Toketee Falls, Southern Oregon

Santa Cruz, California

Klamath River, Northern California

Bocas Del Toro, Panama

Santa Cruz, California

Monterey Bay, California

Northern California

Horsetail Fall, California

Stone Lagoon, Northern California

Bobby Island, Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Bukit Lawang, Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Banyak Islands, Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

Monterey Bay, California

Burney Falls, California

Northern Humboldt, California


Santa Cruz, California


Watson Creek, Southern Oregon

Santa Cruz, California


Morocco

Lake Tahoe, California


Lens Fire Films | Client: Stanford Research Park | Palo Alto, CA

Photographer (Freelance)


Commissioned by Lens Fire Films as an on-location freelance photographer to document the interior and exterior architectural environments and everyday use of Stanford Research Park. Collaborated with a multidisciplinary production team including photographers, videographers, project management, and art direction, while working directly with the client on creative alignment, shot execution, and on-location direction to convey the function, scale, and character of the campus as a high-tech corporate and academic environment. Delivered stylized post-production and final image finishing across selected assets for digital and social media campaigns.



stanfordresearchpark.com

Lifestyle & Action Product Photography

O'Neill Wetsuits, LLC. | Santa Cruz, CA

Photographer (Support)


While working as a Senior Graphic Designer at O'Neill, I served as a backup photographer on location during athlete, lifestyle, and action shoots. Captured additional lifestyle, action, and environmental product imagery used across catalog and marketing materials, identifying and documenting moments that extended beyond the primary shot list to support seasonal and retail needs.