From counting rolls of film at a small-town camera shop to shooting key art for the NBA, Converse, and Pepsi — it's been a 20-year obsession with making brands look legendary. (And somehow, still not a Masshole).
I'm a commercial photographer based in Alhambra, CA, running a zero-ego, high-energy set where the pressure melts, the studio sound system is always blasting, and creativity actually gets room to breathe. Having steered hundreds of high-pressure commercial productions, I don't sweat the small stuff — or the big stuff, honestly. Last-minute script changes, ridiculous deadlines, complex lighting setups on the fly — I eat that stuff for breakfast, right alongside my daily homemade overnight oats. 🥣💪
Producers and art buyers keep me on speed dial because I bring airtight reliability, decades of brand intuition, and an obsession with detail that's borderline surgical. From the micro-nuances of a lighting rig to the macro execution of a high-stakes agency brief, nothing slips through the cracks. You're not just hiring someone to click a shutter. You're getting a trusted teammate, a protector of your sanity on set, and a certified mad scientist behind the lens who is personally obsessed with making your project a career-defining win. 🧪⚡🙌
Select collaborations include campaigns for: Nike/Converse, Saucony, Riddell, Sony, NBA, Pepsi, Goldfish, General Mills, Coors Light, Peroni, 7/Eleven, Totino's, Cedars-Sinai/LA Rams, Wongdoody, Mischief @ No Fixed Address, Dentsu Creative, and BBDO. (Full brand roster featured below).
The Long Version
1977 — Born and raised in Wakefield, MA. Youngest of three, natural risk-taker, open to just about anything. 🌲 ☘️
The Origin Story — Spent high school and college summers counting rolls of film and talking shop at Camera Corner in Rockport, MA—the local shop owned by my legendary great-uncle, Papken. My retail baptism into glass, shutters, and film stock. 🌊 📸 🎞️
The Launchpad — Double-dipped at UMass Amherst, pairing a Business Marketing major with a Fine Art minor, plus a boundary-breaking semester at the Istituto Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence studying classical art while backpacking across 10 countries. Landed in the ESP (Electronic Stills Photography) program, retouching film slides into Dalí-inspired surrealist prints in Photoshop 3 while still logging heavy hours in the traditional darkroom. 🏛️ 🎨 🇮🇹 🧪
1999 — Cut my teeth at the absolute epicenter of the advertising universe: TBWA\Chiat\Day. I was the low man on the totem pole—like owning the smallest fixer-upper in the best neighborhood—but the education was unmatched. 🏢 🦈 💥
Converse Era — Worked in-house at Converse, moving from data entry through MarCom and Brand Design, eventually handling copywriting, retouching, and the bulk of the brand's photography. Major shoutouts to Duane Lock, Joanne Pendergast, and Dave Maddocks for seeing my potential and giving me the room to truly thrive. 👟 💻 🙌
2004 — Built Converse's first in-house photography studio, saving the company $1M/year in production costs—which helped make our new corporate parents at Nike look like geniuses for buying us. Massive thanks to Michael Prince for signing off on all those studio investments! 📸 ⚡
2007 — Jet-setted across the US shooting on-body lifestyle campaigns across PDX, CHI, NYC, MIA, and all throughout Alabama. Massive thanks to Brandon Avery for pushing me out of the studio and onto location—working together on those shoots remains one of my favorite and most cherished chapters of my life. 🛫 🗽 💺
2009 — Travel budgets got slashed due to that fun little financial crisis... Luckily, the studio had a killer sound system! Big thanks to Jeff Steep for keeping me sane and keeping the momentum alive during those wild times. 🎵 🔊 🔥
2010 — Packed up and embarked on a commercial freelance career in Los Angeles, CA. (The draw was my future wife, not the palm trees). 🚙 🗺️ ❤️
2011 — Got to travel with and shoot Dr. J for Converse, alongside launching major campaigns for Saucony and eventually Riddell—shoutout to the brilliant Dave & James Wish of Wishbone Design Factory, who still hire me to this day for our big annual Riddell shoots along with some awesome NBA work. Massive thanks to Chris Lindner for seeing my potential and introducing me to Jessie Morey at Saucony, and to Jessie for taking that first chance on me at the US Track & Field Championships in Eugene. Forever grateful! 🏀 👟 🎽 🏈
2013 — Married the incredible Samantha Rockman. 💍 ❤️
2014 — Shot “Marathon Meb” for Sony. When I thanked him for winning the emotional 2014 Boston Marathon, he paused and told me nobody ever thanked him—they only congratulated him. It remains one of the most profound interactions of my career. 🏃♂️ 📷 ❤️
2015 — Became a father (the most transformative moment of my life—Thank you, Sam!). That same month, I shot my first stills campaign for Adam Lawson, thanks to a crucial referral from Karen Osborne. 🍼 🎬
2016 — Shot my first big billboard campaign, for Cedars-Sinai and the LA Rams with Wongdoody—thanks to a crucial introduction to Dennis Lee from my incredible wife, Sam. 🏈 🏙️
2017 — Moved into a new home base in Alhambra, CA, complete with a custom daylight photo studio. 🏡 ☀️
2018 — Brought on the ultimate right-hand man, Jay Foster, to begin handling on-set logistics and acting as my primary producer. 🤝 💥
2020 — Traveled roughly zero miles by car, but ran 26.2 of them, completing my first marathon during the strangest year ever. Also the year I picked up the Bible and found my faith—a decision that gave me a rock-solid foundation, a deep sense of purpose and understanding, and also challenged me to become a better husband, father, friend, neighbor, and collaborator. 🏃♂️ 📖 ⚓
2022 — Proved the first one wasn't a fluke by crushing another 26.2 miles, while helping raise $20K for the Big Brother Foundation. 🏅 🤝
2024 — Set my mind to eating better, dropped 40 pounds, and started working out for real this time.. Also watched Adam Lawson launch Good Behavior (which helped rejuvenate my career with fresh clients like Pepsi, Goldfish, General Mills, and Coors Light). 🏋️♂️ 🔥 🚀
2025 — Shot NBA key art with a legendary roster including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum, and Cade Cunningham. (Fun fact: Due to a crazy schedule, I had exactly 22 seconds to get the shot of KAT—less time than an actual NBA shot clock). 🏀 ⏱️ 🚨
2026 — Shooting Giada De Laurentiis for Peroni with Good Behavior and Mischief @ No Fixed Address, alongside locking down campaigns for 7/Eleven and Totino’s via Dentsu Creative. Signed up for the Rose Bowl Half Marathon in January... Let’s do this! 🍋 🍻 🏃
2027 & Beyond — Riding a massive wave of recent campaigns with BBDO, Dentsu, and Mischief, alongside the yearly big Riddell shoot, logging more miles with absolutely zero plans of slowing down. The studio lights are on, the sound system is ready to be blasted, and the "Mad Scientist of Photography" is ready to cook—let’s make something legendary! 💪 ⚡ 🧪 🔋
Q & A’s
Q: Is the 22-second shot-clock story actually true?
A: Absolutely true. When you’re dealing with elite pro athletes and tight broadcast schedules, production windows can vanish in an instant. Being dubbed a "Mad Scientist" means having the technical execution dialed in so perfectly that when a 22-second window opens, we strike and nail the 92 frames. Even though the other athletes had an average of two minutes each, we actually got the best pics of KAT like a true buzzer-beater—capturing super high-energy shots of him going “RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!!” as if he just won his first ring. And God-willing, we leave the client thrilled every single time. 🏀 ⏱️ 🚨 ☝️
Q: What is actually on the studio sound system playlist?
A: It completely depends on the vibe of the set and who we are shooting. Most often, I’ll ask the talent what THEY like best—who their favorite artist is—and we’ll build a playlist around that, since so much of the energy on set feeds directly off the talent. All that said, if left up to me and me alone? Expect some mid-90s hip-hop, classic rock (it’s insane that '90s rock is considered classic now!!), and high-energy electronic beats. If a track puts anyone to sleep, it’s off. Not only will we brew some more espressos and cappuccinos, but we’ll also immediately reassess what’ll turn the vibe golden. Speaking of, heck... maybe we’ll even play K-Pop Demon Hunters (sorry, it’s SO GOOD!). Down for anything! 🎵 🔊
Q: I see you ran a couple marathons. Will you chase me down if I try to leave set early?
A: Only if you’re carrying the final hard drive before it’s completely ready. Otherwise, that distance running stamina is strictly reserved for surviving 12+ hour shoot days without losing my mind or my positive attitude. 🏃♂️ 💨
Q: What do your crew members say about working with you?
A: (From Donté Witherspoon, Key Production Assistant): “Well, for starters, I don’t like working with Khach… I LOVE working with Khach. Why? Because he cares. Khach cares about everything that goes into any job he’s hired to do, and it starts with his care for people. He looks out for everyone involved in the production. He always strives for the perfect shot, and his highest priority is making sure the client walks away thrilled. When you see someone so passionate about people and the craft, you never want to let them down. It’s always an honor working on his set.” (Side note: Donté paced right alongside me for those 26.2 miles, and he's eyeing a third medallion too!) 🤝 🔥
Q: OK, what’s up with the homemade overnight oats?
A: Keeping your energy up for a 12-hour shoot requires serious satiating fuel. There are a million good recipes, but mine is usually: sprouted rolled oats, high protein lactose-free milk, homemade yogurt, a tbsp of pure maple syrup, a scoop of clean chocolate protein or peanut butter powder, and loads of fresh berries. It’s what powers a 12-hour commercial set, and it tastes SO good. Fun fact, last year I made a batch 20x larger than usual, and virtually the entire crew devoured it—to the point where the art director specifically asked for it on our next shoot. People get hooked! 🥣 💪
Q: I saw the faith thing mentioned—I’m not religious, is that going to be weird working together?
A: Not even a little. My faith shapes how I show up—steady, honest, prepared, and never wanting to let you down. It means I will truly go to the greatest depths to ensure you, your agency, and your client walk away completely satisfied. On set, I’m entirely there for you, your creative brief, your brand, and getting the shot—no matter what it takes. Bring your playlist, your beliefs, your everything—we're just there to make some magic together. 🤝 ⚓ ✨
Q: Just to be 100% sure... should I expect a sermon on set?
A: Only if you count my sermon on why a key light needs to move exactly 3” to the left. The only other preaching happens over lunch, and only if you’re super interested in any of my most treasured obsessions: homemade yogurt and overnight oats, smoothie bowls, why affogatos deserve to be their own daily food group, and why the ‘90s was the greatest decade for music. My set is a completely zero-judgment zone—everyone (I mean everyone!) is welcome at my monitor. Heck, I love you already and we haven’t even met! ☕ 🍦 🎵 🤗
Q: Are you really not a Masshole?
A: I was born and raised in Massachusetts, so the DNA is there—but I promise I use my blinker, I don't yell at people in traffic, and I run an entirely zero-ego set. You get all the classic New England grit and hard work ethic, with none of the roadside attitude. Just don’t pahk youah cah in the Hahvad Yahd. 🚙 🌲 ☘️
Got a complex creative brief, a 22-second window, or just wanna swap overnight oat recipes?
Drop a line below and let's make some magic.
Michael Khachadoorian
Commercial Photographer & Cinematographer
JAY FOSTER
Production Manager
“We are proud to call Khachadoorian Photography a partner. Michael is not only one of the most professional and talented people at his craft, but he is also one of the kindest people we have ever met, it truly is a pleasure to work with him and his crew. The outstanding work ethic and tremendous talent coupled with his kindness and great personality is a recipe for not only a great product result, but truly a fun, enjoyable experience along the way. We have been fortunate enough to partner with Khachadoorian for many photo and video projects and he continues to go above and beyond any of our clients’ expectations. From the detailed planning stages, to problem solving on the fly, to capturing some amazing content, we can always count on Khachadoorian to deliver. We look forward to working with Michael and his crew on every shoot. They are the best!”
David Wish & James Wish, Co-Founders & Partners, Wishbone Design Factory
“Riddell’s biggest challenge in 2021 was that we had multi-tiered needs, along with multi-faceted goals that we had to accomplish in a big year for the brand. The major initiative being the launch of two new flagship product offerings: our new Axiom football helmet and our smart helmet technology based InSite Analytics subscription service. It doesn’t get higher profile for us. We trusted Michael Khachadoorian and his team to collaborate with us from the beginning, soup to nuts. Everything from location scouting and model selection to content capture and delivery, and everything in between (which is A LOT) was first class all the way.
As the industry leader, Riddell has high standards for our brand and how our brand is represented. Each year for the past 10+ years, we’ve trusted that Michael and his team will go above and beyond to capture the exact right shot, no matter what it takes. We’ve seen Mike running full speed downfield between football players with a camera and seemingly no regard for his body, we’ve seen him strip down to his skivvies in a studio to ensure the lighting was just right. One year, Mike and David were up until 4:00 a.m. welding together metal rods and lighting to deliver on a crazy idea that we had. And deliver they did. Boy do we have stories to tell. And all of them end the same way: The delivery of a gluttony of superior quality photography and video that meets and even exceeds what we set out to accomplish each year from our first engagement with the team.
Additionally, we always know that we’re going to be taken care of during the planning stage and while on set. The amount of prep work and thought the team puts into what we’ve come to know as content shoot “events” is something to behold. For example, in our chosen studio in Dallas in 2021, the whole team was on site two days prior to strip down an existing studio and build it back up in a stark white environment in order to deliver on our creative vision for our new helmet launch. When we arrived, it was like an entirely new, unique place that provided a custom environment where Michael and team would help us make our vision a reality.
We would be remiss not to mention the care that Delilah puts into making sure our team is comfortable, organized and nourished throughout our shoot days. The days can get long and Delilah is there before we arrive and after we leave to make sure everything is just right. She thinks of everything and simply makes things happen, all with a genuine smile on her face. Delilah is the organizational guru that keeps the ship going in the right direction.
The team at Khachadoorian Photography works so well together on set that there is a palpable unspoken understanding of what is needed for the shot, allowing everyone to act quickly and effectively for all things needed on-set.
We would recommend Khachadoorian Photography to any organization that is looking to have their brand vision realized beyond expectation.”
Erin Griffin, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Riddell
Bryan Housh, Director, Marketing and Creative Services, Riddell
Kelsey Ping, Marketing Operations Manager, Riddell
"Michael Khachadoorian is one of the most focused, detail-oriented photographers I've worked with. I had the pleasure of working with Khach for almost 3 years at Converse and have/will continue to hire and work with him. Khach was instrumental in developing the Converse photo studio and the aesthetic that now defines all of our product photography. He was also a huge part of the success of capturing our brand and lifestyle photography. Beyond his undeniable ability - he is one of the finest human beings that I have had the pleasure meeting. Michael will capture magical images and you will enjoy working with him."
Brandon Avery, Global Creative Director DTC, Converse, Inc.
"Michael's ability as a photographer doesn't just start and stop at the fact he takes beautiful pictures. It's much more than that. Michael's dedication to a shoot is apparent the minute he gets involved. He believes in collaborating with everyone involved in the shooting process. He is also one of the most knowledgable photographers in this business when it comes to lighting and equipment. And beyond being creatively and technically well-versed, Michael is such a pleasure as a person. His personality wins everyone over, from the talent, to the crew, to the creative. And the best part is, he's genuine. You can't beat that in this business."
Samantha Rockman, Director of Production, Rockman Productions
"Michael's talent is known across our industry as being superb. He and his team are amazing. During the shoot, ideas and directions were traded with ease, and for our product, the images came out flawlessly with brilliant colors and details. He went the extra mile as well when it came to minor adjustments. The studio was a stress free environment and it was just plain fun to be a part of the process from beginning to end."
Zach Den Adel, Production Designer, Stride Rite
"As Art Buyer and Producer I've had the pleasure of working with Khachadoorian on commercial and lifestyle photo shoots; Michael consistently amazes me with the quality of his work and the speed in which he delivers it. The professionalism, hard work, and quite frankly—the fun—that he puts into a job is hard to match. Michael will not fail to deliver. He is one of the truest and humanly alive people I know."
Jeff Steep, Director of Creative Services, Converse Inc.
“I am honored to have worked on several fun branded campaigns with Michael. You simply cannot ask for a better creative than Michael in this industry! HE. IS. THE. BEST. His passion and amazing vision comes through in all of his work. Our clients are always so excited to shoot with Michael again. He is absolutely wonderful to work with! Incredible talent. Thank you again, Michael! Until the next one!”
Sean Elayda, Producer and Casting Manager, Scale Media, Inc.