michaela skovranova

OM SYSTEM GLOBAL AMBASSADOR

⚲ Naarm (Melbourne, VIC), Australia

Michaela Skovranova is a European-Australian artist working in the field of photography and film.

Michaela's work has focused on capturing intimate environmental and human stories - from documenting coral reefs and Great Barrier Reef restoration for National Geographic, The Great Australian Bight for Greenpeace and the aftermath of Australian Bushfires for TIME Magazine. Her short films pick up the natural, ambient-lit storytelling where the images leave off with her latest short film, “End of the World”, which speaks to the devastating impacts of climate change in Antarctica, premiering at TEDx Sydney 2020.

Her projects involve working as a freelance photographer, filmmaker, speaker, and talent, and she has been featured for her work by publications such as National Geographic, The New York Times, TIME Magazine, The Guardian, and more. Michaela is a National Geographic expert and an OM-System Ambassador, and she runs regular photography and video workshops across Australia and overseas.

 

CONNECT WITH MICHAELA

Website:  mishku.com

Instagram:  @mishkusk

Facebook:  @mishkusk

Vimeo:  @mishku

TikTok:  @mishkusk

LISA MICHELE BURNS

OM SYSTEM GLOBAL AMBASSADOR

⚲ Kabi Kabi (Sunshine Coast, QLD), Australia

Lisa is an Australian travel and landscape photographer and editor of The Wandering Lens.

Having worked throughout various photographic genres over the past 17 years, both above and below the water level, her focus keeps returning to the patterns and tones within landscapes. Glaciers, deserts and regions of climatic significance are environments she’s passionate about documenting, naming Greenland, Iceland, Namibia and Chile as countries she’d happily photograph again and again.

Getting her start in photography whilst working as a photojournalist for Lonely Planet, Lisa now publishes The Wandering Lens, a travel guide for photographers listing photogenic destinations alongside creative tips. Preferring to shoot extreme climates and natural wonders, Lisa’s travels have seen her photograph Lapland, Iceland and Norway along with the contrasting tropical Cook Islands and Great Barrier Reef.

 

CONNECT WITH LISA

Website:  thewanderinglens.com

Instagram:  @the_wanderinglens

Facebook:  @thewanderinglens

TikTok:  @thewanderinglens

MATT HORSPOOL

OM SYSTEM AMBASSADOR

⚲ Darkinjung (Gosford, NSW), Australia

As a Korean adoptee growing up in rural NSW, Matt has always been fascinated with the mountains and remote destinations featured in his parents’ National Geographic magazines. Following university, he set off on multiple trekking expeditions across South America. Armed with a small point-and-shoot camera, Matt loved exploring and photographing the natural world. Shortly after returning home, he then set off on a 3.5-year journey around the world, working across various vocations, all the while taking more and more photos.

In 2017, Matt embarked on our VISION Project across Central Asia and has worked closely with OM SYSTEM as an official ambassador since then. What he loves most about photography is the incredible locations you document and the amazing people you meet. Sharing in those ‘Wow’ moments amplifies the experience in a way no other vocation can compare

 

CONNECT WITH MATT

Website:  etchdphotography.com

Instagram:  @etchd

YouTube:  @etchd_

Facebook:  @etchdphotography

TikTok:  @etchd_

SCOTT PORTELLI

OM SYSTEM AMBASSADOR

⚲ Kepa Kurl (Esperance, WA), Australia

Scott Portelli is an international award-winning wildlife, nature, aerial and underwater photographer. Scott has spent thousands of hours in remote locations across the globe, filming and photographing nature, wildlife, and the underwater environment.

An accredited licensed RPAS/UAV/UOeC pilot, Scott has worked on aerial projects for some of Australia’s most sort out tourism destinations as well as in Antarctica, Arctic, Azores, Macquarie Island, Falkland Islands, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and South Pacific. Working in extreme conditions, Scott’s practices take a high-quality, low-impact approach to filming wildlife in their natural environment in a non-invasive way to capture natural behaviour.

Scott runs wildlife and photography workshops, tours and lectures to show enthusiasts and experts the best way to get the most out of their photography. On his tours, he specialises in underwater and wildlife photography, bringing the best tips and techniques for photographing in challenging locations.

 

CONNECT WITH SCOTT

Website:  scottportelli.com

Instagram:  @scott.portelli

Facebook:  @scott.portelli

Vimeo:  @scottportelli

YouTube:  @scottportelli

BRIDGETTE GOWER

OM SYSTEM AMBASSADOR

⚲ Gimuy (Cairns, QLD), Australia

Bridgette grew up on a farm near a small rural town in NSW. Being surrounded by nature, she developed a great appreciation of the natural world from a very young age.

Over the years, her love of wildlife, conservation and photography grew. She travelled around the world to experience and learn about the wildlife and habitats of many countries.

This spirit of discovery and adventure took her to see such magical places as Antarctica, where she was a crew member on the Sea Shepherd vessel MV Steve Irwin, to defend whales against the annual Japanese Whale Hunt. Her photos are still featured on the Sea Shepherd website.

In recent years, Bridgette has dedicated every spare minute to finding, photographing and identifying some of the world's smallest animals. She is lucky to live near the Cairns Botanic Gardens, where she spent countless hours searching for the many hidden treasures.

 

CONNECT WITH BRIDGETTE

Website:  aussiemacrophotos.com

Instagram:  @bridgettegower

Facebook:  @aussiemacrophotos

YouTube:  @aussiemacrophotos

MICHAEL HURREN

OM SYSTEM AMBASSADOR

⚲ Taungurung (Yea, VIC), Australia

Michael Hurren is a Melbourne-based Cinematographer/ Photographer and the founder of Filmic Productions, with over ten years of experience in the film industry and a background ranging from stills photography to art department.

Michael now runs a successful production company, focusing on commercial, corporate and editorial film and stills work. Michael’s passion for the outdoors has seen him travel much of Australia’s extreme terrain, from capturing fly-fishing in the icy high country to off-road motorsports in the rugged red centre, creating content for magazine publications, broadcast television and social media. There aren’t many corners of the country that remain unexplored, and overseas adventures are also fair game.

 

CONNECT WITH MICHAEL

Website:  filmicproductions.com.au

Instagram:  @michaelhurren_1

Facebook:  @filmicproductions.com.au

Vimeo:  @filmicproductions

HAYATH MOHAMMED

OM SYSTEM AMBASSADOR

⚲ Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Hayath Mohammed is based in India and takes to nature to keep sanity levels in check.

Born and raised in Bangalore, finding open areas during the city's development fuelled his interest towards insects and butterflies. He now uses macro photography as a means of exploration and as a mode of showcasing the many wonders of the arthropod world to the human world.

"Growing up in Bangalore provided access to some amazing locations and biodiversity. Most of my summer holidays would be spent outdoors. When I wasn’t playing with friends, I would observe the fascinating phases of bugs and butterflies in the undergrowth around the empty sites of developing Bangalore.

Nature and its myriad wonders provided cannon fodder to the growing mind. Photography was a mere extension of the curiosity towards the natural world. Social media and online forums such as India Nature Watch provided great platforms to share and learn. Ever since I’ve enjoyed showcasing the hidden beauty of the Arthropod world as much as I enjoy observing it up close."

 

CONNECT WITH HAYATH

Instagram:  @hayath_dyno

Facebook:  @hayath.m

ASHISH chalapuram

OM SYSTEM AMBASSADOR

⚲ Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Ashish Chalapuram is based in Mumbai and has a long-standing passion for photography.

He is a member of the prestigious Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain and has won accolades in various international photography competitions. His work has also been published on various photography platforms.

He likes to experiment with various genres of photography and is of the firm belief that mastering the art of photography is always in a state of ‘beta’ and there is always something more to learn to excel and reach the next level. In addition to photography, he is an avid traveler and loves to explore new places and cultures. He is associated with DCP as a Panel Expert and Strategy Consultant.

 

CONNECT WITH ASHISH

Instagram:  @ashish.chalapuram

Facebook:  @ashish.chalapuram

Ashok Manjanath

OM SYSTEM AMBASSADOR

⚲ Bangaluru, Karnataka, India

Ashok Manjanath is based in Bengaluru and known for capturing dynamic and culturally rich moments, especially through action and wildlife photography.

His work often focuses on high-energy scenes, such as capturing wildlife interactions and traditional cultural events. Manjanath's talent has been recognised in international photo competitions, including the Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY) awards, where his work has been highlighted for its composition and technical skill​.

His photographs stand out for their vivid detail, capturing motion and emotion in a way that brings viewers closer to the subject matter.

 

CONNECT WITH ASHOK

Instagram:  @ashok_manjan

Threads:  @ashok_manjan

YouTube:  @@ashokmanjanath2765