Christopher P. Michel is an American photographer and entrepreneur, who founded
Military.com.[1] He is the current artist in residence at the
National Academies.
In 2000, Michel founded
Military.com, an early website providing news and practical information about the military for active service members, veterans, and their family members.[5] It was acquired by
Monster Worldwide in 2004.[6]
In 2006, he founded
Affinity Labs, a company building social networking and career-building sites for professional communities. It was acquired in 2008.[7][8] In 2010, his work with these companies was profiled in The Intelligent Entrepreneur.[9]
In 2008 he started an early stage investment firm, Nautilus Ventures.[10][11]
Writing and photography
From 2005 to 2009 he wrote The Military Advantage, a guide to veterans benefits.[12] Starting in 2009, publication was taken over by the
Naval Institute Press.[13]
He is a nature and portrait photographer,[14] producing collections for the Navy[15] and for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where he advised on climate communication.[16][17] In 2021 he became their first artist in residence,[18] producing a portrait series of American scientists.[17][19]
He has taught photography at the
Esalen Institute[20] and Santa Fe Workshops,[21] and was an ambassador for
Leica Camera.[22][23]