Michael Wayne Plant

Michael Wayne Plant is a social documentary photographer working on long-form projects examining public life within contemporary capitalism.

Born in New Zealand, he has lived and worked in Australia, Greece, the United States, Italy, France and the United Kingdom. This international background informs his understanding of social space, economic systems and the structures shaping everyday public life.

He completed an MA in Photography and Urban Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, where his practice consolidated around the visualisation of capitalism and the social landscape. His work draws from social documentary and street photography traditions, using sustained observation to build projects over time rather than producing isolated images.

Earlier in his career he worked across advertising, fashion, portraiture and architectural photography. That experience continues to inform his approach to structure, sequencing and visual clarity.

Teaching & Education

From 2009 to 2018 he held senior teaching positions in London colleges, including Lead Photography Lecturer at Idea Store Learning in Tower Hamlets, overseeing approximately 70 courses per year from short programmes to year-long diplomas. He also taught at Working Men’s College and Morley College. He now runs occasional workshops focused on documentary practice and photographic editing.

Digital Workflow & DxO

Michael is currently a Global Product Specialist at DxO, working two days per week with the French photography software company. His role centres on workflow education and dialogue with professional photographers, grounded in a long-standing interest in RAW processing, image integrity and sustainable digital practice. This work sits alongside his documentary projects and reflects an ongoing concern with how photographic tools shape image-making and photographic culture.

Photographers interested in refining their post-production workflow or exploring alternatives to Adobe-based systems are welcome to get in touch.

Industry Recognition

Between 2009 and 2017 he was a Sony Imaging Advocate and later a Sony Global Imaging Ambassador. He has also received support from Epson, OnOne, Blurb and X-Rite.

If you are interested in collaborating on a documentary project, publication, talk or workshop, please get in touch via the Contact page.