French Silk poses in a practice bow hunting range on an unoccupied floor of a commercial building near Cumberland. “This place is as country as it gets. Pretty much everyone that I knew growing up went hunting. It never seemed like the kind of place where different sexual identities and things like drag could ever exist. It still blows my mind that this is happening here. But I am proud that it is. I am proud to be a part of this.”

Michael Snyder

michaelosnyder@gmail.com 3018047710 United States

Topics of Focus

Documentary film and photography with a focus on environmental issues

Geographic Areas of Focus

Global; native to Appalachia

Biography

Michael O. Snyder is a photographer and filmmaker working at the intersections of social justice and environmental sustainability.  His work has been featured in magazines, films and galleries by National Geographic, The Guardian, Vox, Roads & Kingdoms, The Washington Post, High Country News, The Wild Magazine, Condé Nast, NPR, Political Science and Politics, Social Documentary and Beautiful Decay. 

As Founder of Interdependent Pictures he has directed documentary films in the Amazon, the Arctic, the Himalaya and Uganda. His work has been named Official Selection to over 40 film festivals and he has won numerous awards including Best Environmental Film (Canada Int. Film Fest), Best Environmental Film (The World's Independent Film Fest), Best Doc Feature(Blackbird Film Fest), Best Environmental Film (Colorado Film Fest), Audience Choice Award(G2 Green Earth Film Fest), and Sir Edmund Hillary Award  (Mountain Film Fest). 

Driven by a spirit of adventure, Mike has hiked the Appalachian and John Muir Trails, cycled across Europe and ridden trains across Asia.  He holds an MSc in Environmental Sustainability, is a member of Blue Earth Alliance and Fearless Photographers, and currently splits time between Washington, D.C. and Charlottesville, VA.

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