Michael Eckels was born in 1976 in Middlebury Vermont as the youngest of five children. His parents are both math teachers. He grew up heavily immersed in cross-country skiing, a sport he enjoys to this day.

Michael received a B.A. in English from the University of Vermont, with additional intensive studies at London’s University of Westminster. After college he served as a Peace Corps volunteer English teacher in far eastern Russia outside of Vladivostok.

From literature and languages he moved to news and documentary photography at The Moscow Times and Agence France-Presse. With the progression of digital video technology into still cameras, Michael began to expand his horizons into cinema. He received an M.F.A. in directing/screenwriting for film and television from NYU Tisch Schools of the Arts.

Michael maintains a broad range of visual and textual interests. Cinema, photography, poetry, essay, new media journalism, conceptual and documentary. He currently resides in NYC with his wife and their two boys.

michael[at]meckels.net