Michael Wood

Michael Wood is a photographer and teacher, who has devoted his life to helping people open their eyes and minds.

Michael grew up in Toronto, and went through a traditional photography education at the Sheridan College School of Visual Arts. After that, he worked as a commercial photographer for 18 years. In 1979, becoming increasingly frustrated with conventional photography, he started to bring together his photographic training, meditation experience, and studies of the Dharma Art teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. For three years he worked at synthesizing these elements into what for him was a new way of looking and seeing, and a fresh body of photographic work.

During this period Michael evolved methods that form the basis for the photographic approach presented in The Practice of Contemplative Photography. He created a series of assignments and visual exercises for a course that he called Miksang, a Tibetan term meaning “good eye.”

Michael moved to Halifax in 1989 where he worked as an audio-visual producer for Parks Canada, producing and directing documentary films. He also continued to develop and teach contemplative photography courses in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Michael now lives in Toronto, where he continues to refine, expand, and further develop the Miksang teachings and curriculum.

You can learn more about Michael's activities at the Miksang website: http://miksang.com