Michael O’Brien

For me photography is a means of self-transformation and self-expression. It reaches deeply into both its subject and the person behind the lens. All my projects are based on discovering the outer and inner realms of life—and the potential for spiritual growth where those two realms touch.

I am self-taught and began by documenting events and places, often in other cultures. At that time, telling stories with portraits was my main focus. This led to many years of traveling in Latin America, and finally sinking roots close to home to make images that revolve around the reconciliation and healing movements in indigenous communities locally and abroad. I love to explore how the sacred manifests on the physical plane, both in the natural world and in the rituals and transformational moments of peoples’ lives.

To teach and mentor others is a top priority for me, working privately and at local colleges in Toronto. Many aspiring photographers look to my personalized mentoring programs and one-on-one training sessions for inspiration and growth as photographers. My workshops emphasize the use of photography as a means of self-expression through creative use of digital workflow tools to build powerful photographs. www.michaelobrienphoto.com