Photographer Yaki Assayag was born in Israel in 1970. Michael & Elie is part of a new series he initiated after moving to Brooklyn and reflects something of his and feelings about this new location and its inhabitants. He writes of his work:
I find portraits are the most interesting side of photography as there are many ways to approach such a dynamic and fascinating subject. It was self-portraits that helped arouse the emotional feeling of standing in front of the lens. I believe that the interaction between the photographer and subjects could lead to a different and more interesting result than if I came with my own opinion of how the portrait should come out. The more I interact with the subjects the more I understand that there is no limit to what the camera can expose …