Michael Lahood
I’ve always admired the lives of those who move. Athletes, artists, creatives, workers and adventurers.
Maybe that’s what led me to pursue a life of movement.
After earning my degree in Industrial Design, I felt unfulfilled. A few years working as a personal trainer and movement coach changed that. I found myself helping people from all walks of life achieve things both big and small and I found that incredibly inspiring.
What stood out most was this: movement calms the mind, and activity leads to stillness.
So how has that shaped the way I move?
I’ve played high-level football, studied film and photography, competed in crossfit then completed a Hyrox and followed curiosity wherever it led. I got a border collie, then a samoyed. Moved to Wellington, then Auckland. Solo travelled through Europe where I got a rental car stuck on Diamond Beach in Iceland then made my way around Scandinavia. Met a French girl named Elise. We explored pagodas and shrines in Japan and road-tripped Europe in an RV while she was seven months pregnant. We hiked the Dolomites, then wrote off that same RV. We’ve since had our first son.
All of it has led me to shoot on some amazing projects and in some wild places. An underground power plant, about 78 farms, DP of a feature film and mountains in the Alps, Tasmania and Japan. Multiple athletes, olympians, celebrities and talent. Travelled to remote corners of New Zealand, got lost a few times and finally a 19-hour shoot in a rural western town.
Am I ready to settle down?
I just signed up for an Ironman.

New Balance. Asics. Coca Cola. f45. Halter. Fonterra. Anzco. Qantas. Genesis. Lexus. Goodr. Stallioncampers. Kapiti Coast Tourism. High performance sport. Honest wolf. Jettconnect. CoastalFive. VIDASPACE. Blues. SILVER FERN FARMS. Fujitsu. Feelings club. WHERE'S SMOKY.

