My name is Edsel, I’m an award-winning photographer and director inspired by classical art, modern design, and potential energy. My work captures empowered people in motion, through fashion, fitness, and portraiture, using new technology to push my art forward.
I always strive to create graphic, one-of-a-kind imagery, and love collaborating with discerning clients who are looking to push the boundaries of their imagery as well.
Contact
Philip Edsel (feel free to call me Edsel)
Austin — NYC — LA
PRODUCTION SUPPORT
Together with Backstory, I’ve executed and produced global campaigns shot around the world. From large-scale set builds on film productions to scrappy dynamic content shot for social, I’m comfortable creating integrated content across multiple mediums simultaneously.
MARKETING Support
Clients
Reebok, Sony, Red Bull, New Balance, Oreo, Nabisco, Shadowbox, Kate Spade, Runner’s World, Land Rover, MTV, Tumblr, NYFW, Men's Health, CB2, Adobe, Filson.
AWARDS
2020 COMMUNICATION ARTS SHORTLIST, MOTION
2018 PDN ANNUAL - MOTION
2017 PDN ADRENALINE - FITNESS
2017 PDN PERSPECTIVES - GRAND PRIZE
2016 ADOBE CREATIVE JAM - GRAND PRIZE
BIO
Formerly a touring musician, with an album on Billboard's Top 100 and features in magazines like Rolling Stone, I left my career in music in 2016 to pursue my vision for photography and film.
Later that year, I was featured by Instagram for creating a community of writers on the platform under the tag, #CaptionsByWriters, as well as writing the first-ever Instagram novel, a photographic story written in installations called #TheValleyofAshes. The feature received nearly a million likes and launched my career as a multi-medium creator for both my writing and photography.
That year I was also given 24 hours by Adobe to create images based on the concept of "forward motion," as part of Adobe's Creative Jam competition. The image was selected as the winner of the competition, and a few short months later, the same image was awarded the Grand Prize in PDN's PERSPECTIVES Contest.
It was then I realized that my work is inspired by the notion of energy and empowerment. Capturing people (whether they be world-class athletes, fashion models, or normal, every-day people) in heroic moments — or quiet moments but framed as the hero — that was the imagery I was passionate about.
In 2017, I began translating my vision into motion as a filmmaker and director. The culmination of this debut was PARALLAX, a film created for Sony using only their RX0 cameras (smaller than a GoPro). They loved the film so much they invited me to CES in January 2018 to speak about my piece in front of thousands, and later that year won a PDN Annual Award for Motion.
Also in 2018, I was selected as a winner of PDN's ADRENALINE Contest for my fitness series revolving around my Perseverance series and the concept of female empowerment.
Over the last few years, I’ve been able to create incredible work with incredible people for incredible brands like Reebok, New Balance, Sony, MTV, Oreo, etc. But the end of the day, I hope to use my work and my vision to capture people in a way that shows the unique and awesome power of the individual.