Spotlight: Michael Miville for William & Mary Alumni Magazine

BY 8 November 2024

Lititz, Pennsylvania-based photographer Michael Miville recently completed a photoshoot for William & Mary Alumni Magazine, a publication that connects the university’s alumni network by featuring stories about its alumni and their notable achievements, as well as university updates. The client needed stills to accompany an editorial on one of its alumni, art conservator Joyce Hill Stoner. Michael’s photos were featured in the magazine’s Spring 2024 print and digital issue.

A tearsheet from William & Mary University Alumni Magazine featuring Michael Miville's photo.

The client found me through a web database and contacted me directly. I hadn’t worked with them prior to this project, but I was familiar with the university and have experience photographing for other higher education publications.

A sign that reads "Winterthur Museum - East Entrance" in front of the museum building.

The magazine mentioned that they were drawn to my style of editorial portraiture and my knowledge of crafting imagery around a story. Shooting on-site at their location, I was able to creatively light the subject in a way that highlighted their personality while supporting their narrative in a visual format.

Joyce Hill Stoner comparing a painting of a 20th-century shop to its x-radiograph — _{Joyce compares a painting of a 20th-century shop to its x-radiograph}_.

Preplanning

To ensure the shoot was a success, Michael collaborated closely with the client during the pre-planning phase.

I worked with the client to establish a visual format that would support the storyline of the article and meet the requirements of the publication. It was also very important to me that I capture the subject’s true character. Before even meeting, I took a deep dive into their background and watched a few videos of previous interviews. This helped me to make them feel comfortable on set by talking with them and understanding what makes them tick.

Becca Heyman is seated, working on the conservation of a large maritime painting of a ship, while Joyce Hill Stoner stands nearby, supervising and offering guidance.

The Photoshoot

The shoot took place at the painting restoration facilities of the Winterthur Museum in Delaware.

It was an amazing space used to facilitate the delicate process of restoring damaged paintings. I was on site with the subject and her two assistants for roughly two hours, creating as many shots as I could in that time while trying not to disrupt them as much as possible. They were inviting and very willing to help me set up any shot I needed.

A close-up view of a container filled with various types of paintbrushes and artist tools.

The energy of the shoot was light and fun. I always try to keep conversation flowing during a shoot, which I find helps to keep people at ease. On set, it was me and the subject, along with her two apprentices.

Rebecca Heyman, Joyce Hill Stoner, and Emily Landry are gathered around a table working on a painting. Photo by Michael Miville. — _{Joyce with apprentices Rebecca Heyman and Emily Landry}

Working with the subject was great, but not without challenges. Joyce had recently had surgery, which impacted her mobility. I tried to make sure I didn’t have her standing or moving around too much, only when necessary. After doing my research on her, I knew some things I wanted to talk about, which made it very easy to connect with her, and we chatted quite a bit. It was almost tough to have to wrap up the shoot because I found her so interesting and we had such a great rapport.

Emily Landry removes grime from the painting, while Joyce Hill Stoner stands nearby, supervising and offering guidance.

With no crew on set for shoot day, Michael was a team of one.

Some of the constraints I had on this photoshoot were keeping it within a timeframe that worked for the subject, as they were actively working and I didn’t want to interrupt them too much. I was also by myself, so I had to set up, move around, and tear down all of my lighting and other equipment within the allotted time.

Some of the creative challenges simply stem from being in a new location and photographing someone in their space. I find it best to walk around each corner of a room to view it from different angles so I can get a good idea of which locations might work best and how the environment will look from different perspectives. I also took some time trialing my lighting to ensure it would reflect the creativity of the space but also be flattering to the high stature and maturity of the subject.

Joyce Hill Stoner is standing alone, wearing glasses and a colorful scarf.

The subject of the shoot was truly inspiring, which really energized my creativity. She was so interesting and has led such an awesome life.

I had found out she was once friends with, and painted by, one of my favorite artists. I was able to share some stories about why he was so influential in my life, and she in turn shared so many great memories she had with him over the years. She even shared with me the portrait that she keeps covered that he had painted of her. It was a wonderful experience!