ABOUT LISA O’DWYER

“Artful storytelling for dreamers, lovers and old-world adventurers” (Thank you Frances Harjeet of Prema who is a stylist and floral designer in Denver…she helped me come up with this description which describes my style of photography and clients, and who I am).

My love story…
I was teaching English in Japan in a small rural ancient pottery village called Shigaraki. I was trying to save up some money to move to London to get my Master’s Degree in Valuing Decorative Arts and Antiques at Christie’s. In my second year there, I met a sweet Irish guy who had just graduated college with a history teaching degree. That boy is now my husband Niall. He wasn’t too keen to teach in a London high-school, and so I went with him to Ireland! We ended up living there for 10 years and that is where I started as a wedding photographer in 2006, the year our first son was born. I have to say that it was quite amazing to get my start in wedding photography in Ireland, and it is where I found my love for photographing couples in historic venues and outside in wild and beautiful nature.

My photography story…
I was born in rural southwestern Pennsylvania and lived there for 25 years. I loved living in our family home surrounded by nature (nature is one of my most intense influences in my work), but I was also drawn to the city and arts and culture from a young age. My aunt and uncle were artists, beatniks, bohemian and they lived in the city in Pittsburgh. When we went to visit them, we listened to jazz records and they played the piano and an antique stand-up bass. Their walls were covered in their paintings (abstract style of the 1950s), and they loved photography! This is the moment in my childhood where I was imprinted with a love for photography and art (my aunt used to take B&W film photos of us with her Canon AE), and a burning desire to see the world (they traveled the world and used to show us slideshows of the places they’d been). Plus, a life-long love of jazz comes from them (even though it was more like Joy Division and the Smiths when I was young!).

Making art was something that came easily for me…it was in the family after all! I studied Art History and Fine Arts in college including Traditional Black & White Film Photography. The Art Historian in me is obsessed with the history of photography. I seek out the places where it was born across the world, the people who were pioneers of early photography (Julia Margaret Cameron, Edward Steichen, and Henri Cartier-Bresson are my favorites), and collect antique photographs from the places I’ve visited. I love that it is an art form that is a true snapshot of this moment in time.

Why you should commission Lisa O’Dwyer for your heirloom photography…
After 9 years of photographing the most important day in people’s lives, I know who I am and who my clients are. We are people who love culture, learning, art, music, history, and family. We truly value education (my husband is a history teacher!) and are curious about the world and its people. We believe in the importance of family, and the value of establishing a family’s history through classic photography. We love fashion, but we don’t fall victim to trends. Our style is timeless, effortless, well-made, and bespoke. We are discerning, appreciate the classics, yet go against the grain. We forge our own paths in life, are leaders, and are true to our family and friends. If you feel the same about life, then I know you are making the right choice in your wedding photographer. Contact me today.