Learn how to make your art your career
Michelle Grace Hunder is one of Australia’s most influential and respected music photographers — a visual storyteller who has spent over 15 years capturing the faces, energy, and emotion that define modern Australian music. Based in Melbourne, Michelle’s work sits at the intersection of art, identity, and sound using her lens to frame the Australian Hip-Hop Music scene. All her contributions have earning her a place in the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia as part of the nation’s creative history..
Her debut photographic book, RISE (2014), was a landmark project documenting Australia’s thriving hip-hop scene — capturing over 200 artists and laying the foundation for a new wave of local music storytelling through powerful portraiture. Following that success, she co-produced the documentary Her Sound, Her Story, celebrating women in the Australian music industry and deepening her commitment to representation and visibility in the arts.
Michelle’s work has graced the covers and pages of Rolling Stone, The Music, and other leading publications, and she’s collaborated with some of the country’s biggest names — from Briggs, Ruel, Baker Boy, Tkay Maidza, and G Flip to Amy Shark. With a long history of partnerships with major labels like Sony Music, Universal, and Warner, Michelle’s portfolio spans everything from intimate studio sessions to large-scale festival stages, and high profile international artists and comedians.
What makes Michelle’s mentorship so special isn’t just her technical expertise — it’s her ability to translate photography into a language of identity and connection. She helps emerging photographers understand how visual storytelling builds an artist’s brand, how to capture authenticity in a commercial world, and how to navigate the real business of music photography.
To learn from Michelle is to go behind the curtain of the music industry — to understand what press shots are truly used for, how to build trust with artists and labels, and how to turn creative passion into a sustainable career. Whether you’re stepping into the photo pit for the first time or refining your professional portfolio, Michelle offers not only skill and insight but also a pathway into a creative community built on collaboration, resilience, and storytelling.