Bryan Andresen, Photographs of People Simply Being Human

October 31 through January 6, 2027
Reception with refreshments on October 31 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

The O’Brien Photo Gallery
2833 Willamette, Ste B.
Eugene, OR 97405
(541) 729-3572
Call ahead to be sure we are open or to set special viewing times.

Every Picture Tells a Story: Photographs of People Simply Being Human

I am drawn to the magic of a photograph capturing a moment in a person’s life that evokes individuality, personality, and emotion. I strive to photograph a connection that person shares with me, a loved animal, or their surroundings. Is it their expression, body position, or hand gesture that captivates me? Does the photograph capture a moment in time that is, or will be, important to that person? I may photograph a person I’ve known for decades, or perhaps known only in a brief encounter. As Kermit the Frog wisely tells us: “Life is made up meetings and partings. That is the way of it”. I value and feel honored to briefly be a part of that person’s tapestry of life.

In addition to close-up portraits, I have included several “Where’s Waldo?” photos in this exhibit. The inclusion of a very small human figure is intentional. These images evoke not just the smallness of humans within a vast physical environment, but a connection to a larger world.

With my camera, I seek to capture not just an interesting image of people, but an element of the mystery of what it means to be human.

Additional images of Bryan’s work may be viewed at: www.andresenphoto.com

Born in Portland, raised in Junction City, and currently living outside Eugene, Bryan has relatively deep roots as a fifth-generation Oregonian.

His photographs typically are the result of an enthusiastic journey in search of unique glimpses of our world and its inhabitants. Bryan has had a life-long interest in photography; from his earliest years, a camera has typically accompanied him on outings.

Two experiences in his youth had a lasting effect on him. When he was 18, he survived a near-fatal mountaineering accident in which he fell 600 feet down rock, snow, and ice. Then, while studying hummingbirds in Costa Rica during college, he revived an unconscious, non-breathing man who had been pulled from the ocean. These experiences had a lasting effect on him and helped form his appreciation of and veneration for human life.

Starting in 2016, he has described himself as a “serious amateur” photographer. He conjectures that the toxic and ugly political climate of that year stimulated in him a deep desire to bring something of worth, meaning, and beauty into the world.

Retiring from medical practice in 2019, he joined Eugene’s Photo Zone the same year. He now devotes considerable time, passion and enthusiasm to the study and practice of photography.