Through Another Lens: A Look at Michael Shainblum's California

I've never done a post like this before writing about someone else's work. But every now and then, I come across a photographer who stops me in my tracks, and Michael Shainblum did just that. His name kept popping up over the years, and finally, I took the time to really look—and I mean really look—at his work.

I’m glad I did.

Shainblum doesn’t just photograph places—he gives them room to breathe. His work is cinematic, emotional, patient. There’s a softness in his light, even in the chaos of a thunderstorm or the churn of the sea. It’s the kind of imagery that feels like it comes from living with a place, not just visiting it.

The First Time I Really Saw His Work

It was one of his time-lapse films—California landscapes shifting through fog, firelight, clouds spilling over ridgelines. I’ve seen those same ridges myself, camera in hand, but he captured something I hadn’t even thought to look for. That hit me. I’d seen clouds roll over the hills, but never like that.

That video’s embedded below. Watch it when you’ve got a few quiet minutes. It’s worth your time.

A Photographer Who Paints With Time

Most of us chase moments. Shainblum builds them. His time-lapse work, especially, isn’t just stitched-together motion—it’s storytelling. In Into the Atmosphere, he captures California’s wild rhythms: coastal fog, desert lightning, stars wheeling over alpine lakes. You get the sense he’s not just showing us places—he’s showing us time.

But even his stills are soaked in this same sensibility. The mood. The calm. The clean compositions. He has a way of making even the busiest city look peaceful, and the emptiest desert feel full.

Light, Patience, and Style

The way Shainblum uses light reminds me why I started shooting landscapes in the first place. Whether it’s soft golden light feathering across a dune, or a lightning bolt cracking over Yosemite Valley, he’s not just recording what happened—he’s translating what it felt like.

He wrote a piece on his blog about finding his photographic style, and it resonated. He talks about how it took years to get to a place where he wasn’t chasing trends or technical perfection, but rather focusing on what felt personal and meaningful. That stuck with me.

“There’s no rush. Let the style come to you.”

I think about that every time I go back to the same spots I’ve shot before. What else is there I haven’t seen yet?

What I’ve Taken From His Work

Here’s what Shainblum’s work reminded me of:

Repetition isn’t failure—it’s opportunity. Go back. Look again.
Mood matters more than sharpness, more than gear.
Light is the story. If you don’t have light, wait, or come back another time.
Silence can be powerful. His images have a stillness I admire—something I’m always chasing in my own.

Final Thoughts

This post wasn’t planned. I just felt like I needed to write it. There’s something honest in Shainblum’s work that deserves to be seen, and more importantly—felt. If you're into landscapes, time-lapse, or just chasing light in your own way, dig into his site. Watch his films. Read his blog. Let it wash over you.

Because sometimes, looking through someone else’s lens helps you see your own work a little clearer.

Thanks for the inspiration, Michael.