BROOKS INSTITUTE HOSTS NEW YORK FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER AND ALUMNUS
MICHAEL THOMPSON

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - (December 30, 2007) - Brooks Institute announced today it will host acclaimed fashion photographer and Brooks alumnus Michael Thompson’s exhibit of selected works at its Brooks Cota Street Gallery. The exhibit will showcase January 16 - March 4, 2008, with an opening reception on February 7 from 5 to 7PM. The public is invited to attend the free artist’s reception and lecture on Thursday, February 7, 2008 beginning at 5pm at the Cota Gallery. Following the opening, Thompson will give a presentation and answer questions at the Lobero Theater at 8pm. Seating is limited. The Brooks Cota Street Gallery is located at 27 E.Cota Street in downtown Santa Barbara.

"MICHAEL THOMPSON: selected works" is collection of 25 fashion, celebrity, and still life images from 1991 to present. The collection is presented in large scale and the installation has been has been specifically culled by Thompson as an overview of his life as a professional photographer.

FASHION
Thompson’s fashion editorial images illustrate specific aesthetic ideas while also highlighting the physical beauty and creativity of the fashion styles presented. From the colorful and absurd "Pop 1" and "Broken Plates" to the more simplified, stark "fur boots," Thompson guides the viewer to an often open-ended and always evocative point of view.

CELEBRITY
It is often said by celebrities that Thompson makes them feel comfortable while he is shooting. While some celebrity photographs can paint the celebrity in the light of the photographer, Thompson exposes the true nature and beauty of individuals to give his viewer iconic, yet revealing images. The sultry, glamorous "Gwyneth Paltrow" and the fun, emotive "Sting with Horns," show these two celebrities as the viewer has never seen them before, but still allows their own personalities to shine through.

STILL LIFE
While most believe still life is the most difficult subject in photography, Thompson’s ease is undeniable. The beautiful composition and sharp texture of "Butterfly Wing" draw the viewer into a deep meditation, while the saturated color and organic shape of "Orange Digit" plays on the viewer’s visual subjectivity.

About Michael Thompson:
Thompson began his career in the coveted position as main assistant to photographic legend Irving Penn, shortly after getting his degree at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. During the three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship, Thompson learned well from the master technician. He set off on his own path in 1991, quickly securing beauty assignments from Allure Magazine, then a new name in the industry. His early work, such as a sublime shot for Allure of a snake curling around an apple titled "Temptation" clearly speaks to the Penn influence.

From those first still lifes and beauty shots, Thompson smoothly expanded his oeuvre to include fashion and celebrities, collaborating with editors and art directors from W Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and French Vogue. Today, his editorial roster also includes Vanity Fair, Vogue, Italian Vogue, British Vogue, GQ, Dutch, Details and The New York Times Magazine, among others. In addition, he has shot advertising campaigns for Armani, Tiffany & Co., Gap, Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Dior, DeBeers, and beauty campaigns for companies such as Chanel, M.A.C, and RMK.

His first book, "Michael Thompson: Images", published in 2005, exhibited Michael’s range as a photographer, including both personal and editorial fine art images. His most recent exhibition, Michael Thompson, 50 Cuts debuted at the Parco Gallery in Tokyo featuring a selection of 50 images from his first 10 years as a photographer. In February 2008, Thompson’s photograph "Julianne Moore as Ingres’s "Grand Odalisque" will be included in a Vanity Fair group exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. He is currently working on a second book and planning on a solo exhibition at Hasted Hunt Gallery in New York in September 2008.

Michael Thompson currently lives and works in New York City with his wife, Kelly, and two children, Ruby and Sean.

About Brooks Institute
Brooks Institute celebrates more than 60 years of educating students in the visual and media arts. With campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California, the school offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in fields including Professional Photography, Visual Journalism, Film and Video Production and Graphic Design, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Photography. Brooks’ graduates are visible nationally and internationally, working for distinguished organizations including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Los Angeles Times and other national media outlets, including Hallmark Publishing, Cousteau Society, HBO, Kodak and other industry leaders in the visual media arts fields. For more information about Brooks Institute and the school’s programs, visit www.brooks.edu, or call 805-966-3888.