About
Brooklyn-based photographer & filmmaker Eric Ogden’s experiences growing up in Flint, Michigan were formative; endlessly drawing as a kid, playing in bands, discovering filmmaking and photography, all kept him out of trouble. Mostly. His interest in psychology and the mystery of childhood experience, with all their attendant fears and wonder, continue to reverberate in his photographs, along with a strong sense of the Midwest.In his editorial work he has photographed an array of cultural icons, and covered stories as wide ranging as a sold out Honky Tonk party that happens in Queens, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Election Day in Flint, Michigan, The first Women’s March, and across numerous stories, how senseless crime and violence intimately affects lives in America. His photographs have appeared in Wired, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, The New Yorker, Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, Fast Company, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, People, The Smithsonian, ESPN, Marie Claire, and Men's Journal, among many other publications. Commercially, he’s collaborated with brands & agencies such as Puma, Adobe & Frame.io, Amazon, Carbone Fine Foods, Nissan, Dick's Sporting Goods, Asics, Nike, Sotheby's, Maker's Mark, Sean John, Anomaly, Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi, Supernatural, Vitro and TBWA/Chiat/Day, television networks & movie studios including Paramount+, Showtime, Lionsgate, AMC, NBC, USA, A&E, The Discovery Channel, and among record labels, Capitol Records, Roc Nation, Island Def Jam, Atlantic Records, Sony Music, and Warner Bros Records.Ogden has written, produced and directed several short films. His latest, the unsettling psychological drama MOTEL, won the Grand Prize for Best Editing at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, and was an official selection of the Montclair Film Festival, Aesthetica Film Festival, and Woods Hole Film Festival. His other films include the offbeat comedy The Call, which stars Anna Kendrick, awarded with American Photography’s AI-AP Motion Art Award, and Nocturne, an ominous vision of America made entirely from historical found footage, which premiered at the Cinequest Film & VR Festival. He has also directed music videos for Capitol Records, Warner Records and spots for Puma, Carbone, USA network, Fast Company and Esquire. Ogden enjoys hearing from young artists and mentoring whenever he can. He has guest lectured in New York City at the School of Visual Arts, International Center of Photography, Fashion Institute of Technology and The Cooper Union.
curriculum vitae
Awards & Honors
2023 Webby Winner, Apps, dApps and Software, Creative Production, Frame.io Camera to Cloud. 2023 Webby Awards.
2023 American Photography Annual 39 – work selected & published in Annual Award book.
2022 American Photography Annual 38 – work chosen for Annual Awards.
2021 American Photography Annual 37 – work selected & published in Annual Award book.
2020 Society of Publication Designers Merit Award: Documentary Photography.
2019 Best Editing, Grand Prize for MOTEL. Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival.
2019 American Photography Annual 35
2017 American Photography Annual 33
2015 American Photography Annual 31
2014 International Motion Art Awards 3 - for short film "The Call" starring Anna Kendrick.
2012 FWA Site of the Day & Adobe The Cutting Edge Project of the Week "Get Winter Ready" interactive site.
2010 American Photography Annual 27
2008 American Photography Annual 24
2008 Society of Publication Designers Award: Feature/Photography.
2007 American Photography Annual 23
2005 Photo District News '30 Emerging Photographers to Watch'.
Press
2020 ‘A Dystopian Vision’ Feature & interview in Aesthetica Magazine, June, 2020.
2018 'Hidden Narratives' A portfolio published in Aesthetica Magazine, February, 2018.
2017 'Eric Ogden's Nocturne of Fear' Motion Arts Pro, American Photography/American Illustration, May, 2017
2016 'From the Desk Of: Eric Ogden', Paper Chase Press blog feature, September, 2016.
2016 'Photo of the Day' Don't Take Pictures. April, 2016.
2016 'Visitors: Essay 033' A portfolio published in The Photographic Journal. March, 2016.
2016 'Photographer Profile: Eric Ogden' AI-AP profiles. American Photography/American Illustration, March, 2016.
2016 'Covert Presence' A portfolio published in Aesthetica Magazine, Feb/March, 2016.
2015 ‘Eric Ogden: Life In Focus’. My City Magazine. April, 2015.
2015 ‘Aperture Foundation Makes an Epic Mixtape to Accompany Dreamy Rock Photos’, Artnet, Oct 2015.
2014 'About That Photo of the Reformicons' The 6th Floor: Blog of the NY Times Magazine. July, 2014.
2013 'The F Stop Blog Interview', July 2013.
2012 'Making A Great Environmental Portrait' Photo District News: The Portrait Issue. February, 2012.
2011 'Cinematic Portraitist Eric Ogden' LookBooks, April 18, 2011.
2010 'On and Off the Walls: Eric Ogden's Visions' The New Yorker: Photo Booth. April 9, 2010.
2010 'The Magic of Suburbia' Zink Magazine, April.
2010 'Eric Ogden ou les chimeres de l'enfance' French PHOTO Magazine, April.
2010 'Photographer #108: Eric Ogden', 500 Photographers Blog, Pieter Wisse, September, 2010.
2006 'The Cinematic Lighting of Eric Ogden' Photo District News: Lighting Masters series, November.
2006 'The Best Photography on the Web' American Photo, May / June. Cover story.
2006 'Hot Shots: Persistance pays off for freelance photographer from Flint' The Flint Journal, April.
2005 '30 Emerging Photographers to Watch' Photo District News, March.ScreeningsFilm Screenings
2020 ‘Motel’ Screening. Montclair Film Festival. Montclair, NJ.
2020 ‘Motel’ Screening. Woods Hole Film Festival. Woods Hole, MA.
2019 ‘Motel’ Screening. Aesthetica Short Film Festival. York, UK.
2019 ‘Motel’ Screening. Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. Providence, RI.
2017 'Nocturne' Screening. Cinequest FIlm & VR Festival. San Jose, CA.
2015 'Sillage' Private Installation & Screenings. International Flavors & Fragrances headquarters, NYC.
2014 'The Call' Screening. International Motion Art Awards. New York City, NY.Visiting Artist Lectures & Presentations 2023 Fashion Institute of Technology. New York City, NY
2020-2017 Cooper Union. New York City, NY
2017-2015 School of Visual Arts. New York City, NY
2017 'Creating A World' Lecture. Dallas Society of Visual Communications. Angelika Theater, Dallas, TX
2014 International Center of Photography. New York City, NY
2013 ‘Meet The Photographers’ Art Hamptons. Bridgehampton, New York.
Art Fairs2023 EXPO Chicago. Navy Pier. Aperture Foundation booth.
2022 Untitled Art, Miami. Aperture Foundation booth.
2014 SCOPE Art Show, Miami. Luster Gallery booth.
2014 Paris Photo Los Angeles. Aperture Foundation booth.
2014 Art Palm Beach. Aperture Foundation booth.
2012 SCOPE Art Show, New York. Aperture Foundation booth.
2012 EXPO Chicago. Navy Pier Festival Hall. Aperture Foundation booth.Benefit Auctions2022 ‘Images for Humanity’ Benefit Auction for Ukraine
2015 'The Ballad Live’ Aperture Foundation Benefit Auction honoring Nan Goldin, Hammerstein Ballroom, NY
2014 'The Open Road’ Aperture Foundation Benefit Auction honoring Robert Frank, New York City, NY
2013 'Aperture Foundation Benefit Auction' (curated by Kathy Ryan), New York City, NY
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2016 'I Dream A Highway', Droga5, New York City, NY
2010 'A Half-Remembered Season', Hous Projects LA, West Hollywood, CA
2010 'A Half-Remembered Season', Hous Projects Gallery, New York City, NYGroup Exhibitions
2015 'Down & Dirty', Photoville, Brooklyn, NY
2011 'Visions on Film', 5th Triennale der Photographie Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
2010 'VERSUS', Hous Projects Gallery, New York City, NY
2009 'Character Project', Stephan Weiss Studio, New York City, NY
2009 'Character Project', Edison Place Gallery (PEPCO), Washington, DC
2009 'Character Project', Wexler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2009 'Character Project', Alan Koppel Gallery, Chicago, IL
2009 'Character Project', Regional Arts Commission, St. Louis, MO
2009 'Character Project', Chronicle Books Headquarters, San Francisco, CA
2009 'Character Project', ACE Gallery Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, CA
2006 'Dreams, Fears, Desires', Holden Luntz Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
2004 'Art & Commerce Festival of Emerging Photographers', NY, NYPublications2014 The Photographer’s Playbook: 307 Assignments and Ideas. Aperture. Edited by Jason Fulford and Gregory Halpern.
2009 American Character: A Photographic Journey. 'Michigan Music'. Chronicle Books. Foreword by Tom Brokaw. 
My City Magazine: What is your fondest memory of FlinT?
EO: Definitely going to some of the parks when I was younger, and going to the Capitol Theatre to see the punk shows downtown was really fun. I also liked driving out to the lakes with my friends and going sailing with my dad.I had a tight group of friends growing up and we always found things to do. While I was still in high school, I got really interested in making movies and doing special effects. Then it grew into wanting to direct films. My friends and I had a VHS camera and we’d run around the city making these films. We used our own neighborhood or our houses and we really explored Flint. We’d find construction sites and old buildings and all this stuff. It was very imaginative – the city was like our set. Sometimes, we incorporated random strangers into a scene and asked them to say something; people were okay with it. We would edit the movies later and add music. Full interview