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MORGAN O’ NEILL
From the old masters to contempory photography (Front Cover)
Morgan O’ Neill’s unique
photographic style has earned
him the respect of his peers and
numerous international awards.
His interest in photography began
as a young teenager while trying
to make a camera from a shoebox.
His Father took notice of the young
boys interest and let him use his
own old Brownie camera.
At the age of 14 his Mother told
him that she’d love if he would take
up photography, After his Mother
passed away, he never forgot what
she said to him about photography.
Shortly after he went out and
bought the best camera, he could
afford and started taking photos
whenever he could and at times
whenever he could afford to.
His love for photography was
strong, but his hunger for learning
was even stronger, and he enjoying
every moment he had a camera in
his hands. Morgan said, “I was so
fortunate to meet great friends
that were willing to share their
knowledge, and eventually I found
I was developing my own style”.
He became a member of the Irish
Photography Federation and later
achieved his Licentiateship (LIPF)
and Associateship (AIPF) and in
2010, he achieved his Fellowship
(FIPF). He is now also been a
member of the Royal Photographic
Society and was awarded his
Associateship (ARPS). He enjoyed
the challenge of salons and to date
achieved his EFIAP/silver. He has
won over thirty major Awards in
international competitions from
FIAP(Fédération Internationale
de l’Art Photographique) and
the PSA(Photographic Society
of America), and his work has
been exhibited in over thirty-five
countries. Other awards were
overall best image in the Celtic
Challenge and overall best image
in the IPF (Irish Photographic
Federation), and overtime won over
thirty Irish national awards.
He is on the Irish Photography
Federation list of judges for national
judging and also gives lectures on
photography around the country.
He is on the panel of judges for
the Irish Photography Federation
and has written numerous articles
about photography.
So what inspired Morgan to create
this unique style of photography?
We think it’s best to read it in his
own words.
“I think this goes way back to my
early school days. I wasn’t the
brightest pupil in school; I was a
daydreamer. I was always imagining
the days gone by and trying to
visualise how people used to live.
I always had a love of history, and
I had an obsession with Leonardo
Da Vinci. Everything about him
just fascinated me, his inventions,
his paintings and especially the ‘’
Mona Lisa ‘’ and other great works.
I wondered how he got the effects
he did, the lighting. The result of
hundreds of years of ageing seems
so natural to us when we look at the
old masters now was not acceptable
then.
My passion for old master paintings
is not something I could discuss with
my school friends. It just wouldn’t
have been very cool. As the years
went by my appreciation for these
fine painters grew more and more.
I had a particular interest in portrait
photography, and I started with my
young daughter as a model when
she was just three. As time went on,
my photography style seemed to
have taken on a life of its own.
Friends, Family and other
photographers were praising my
work. While I’m really not one for
receiving praise, It makes me feel
like I don’t deserve it. That said, I
know I have developed a unique
and different style, something that
came out from deep inside me,
perhaps it was my obsession for
Leonardo Da Vinci and Renaissance
Art.
It finally looks like all those school
days I spent d looking out the
classroom window daydreaming
and lost in thought have paid off.
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