Award Winning Professional Photographer
Wildland Firefighter
Surfer
Lives in Cape Town
A sense of adventure drew me into the life of a professional photographer and finally, the life of a professional photographer has drawn me back into a life of adventure. This evolvement can be seen in the images I now capture while on the fire line as a wildfire firefighter.
The impact that photography, photographers and cinema had on me as a child was very profound, out of which has surged a long love-affair of creating challenging visual imagery and pursuing adventure within the world of the professional photographer.
While studying Graphic Design, which included a course on photography, I became captivated with the creation of powerful, striking and challenging imagery. The immediacy and impact of photographic image creation especially found a home within me and I became intrigued with the dark room print process, spending many hours playing and refining techniques as a printer of my own photographs. This led to me learning to print under a master printer in London and, coupled with the arrival of Photoshop, has given me the ability to carry a strong signature through my work as a professional photographer, from the first observation to the final print.
The practice of creating imagery and a thorough knowledge of the creative and post-production process has seen me work with Advertising Agencies and Magazines in both hemispheres, whilst winning a few Awards along the way. Despite a background in the world of commercial photography, and a long stint as a photographer working with Getty Images, I now find myself solely occupied with creating work that satisfies my soul. To this end I now turn to a career of creating photographs for personal satisfaction and pursuing self-motivated projects.
Moving beyond the still frame my love for film and the moving image has also opened up opportunities in Directing.
I hope you enjoy my work
PATRICK RYAN