MICHAEL TOTTEN is a Los Angeles-based photographer whose work focuses on memory, space, and narrative through portraiture. He earned his BFA in Fine Art Photography from Art Center College of Design. His practice looks at how we reconstruct and reinterpret past experiences, often working in the space between reality and imagination. His Craigslist Project, which began with spontaneous photo sessions of strangers, developed into an exploration of shared narratives, shifting from impromptu encounters to curated scenes that reflect the delicate balance between authenticity and artifice. Before pursuing photography full-time, Totten worked in the film industry as a director of photography. That background shaped his sensitivity to narrative in quieter, suggestive ways. He is drawn to the tension between stillness and motion—when a photograph feels like part of a larger, unseen story. His influences cross cinema, documentary, and fine art.