With roots nestled in the bucolic landscapes of West Michigan, Michael McCluskey transitioned from a 15-year tenure in the melody of music to the visual rhythm of photography. His artistic journey, originally embarked upon as a stepping stone towards the world of film, has transformed into a profound avenue of expression in its own right. McCluskey’s work is a blend of documentary and narrative; it’s an art form where spontaneity meets the meticulous, steeped in the reflective depictions of inspirator Valérie Timmermans, and enriched by a tapestry of filmic, musical, and personal threads. His penchant for nighttime photography unfurls a realm where challenge and enchantment intertwine.

In his poignant series titled “Mourning and Evening,” McCluskey orchestrates a visual ballad akin to a melancholy love song. The series encapsulates the fleeting warmth of cherished instants and the subsequent pangs of loss. Through his lens, McCluskey parallels the shifting hues of dawn with love’s incipient vibrancy—a bold, ephemeral blaze. Conversely, the enveloping nocturne speaks to solitude and the daunt of its perceived perpetuity.

To immerse in more of Michael McCluskey’s ethereal and evocative oeuvre, peruse his gallery on Instagram.