OJAC Collection - Michael O'Brien

Michael O'Brien

American, b. 1950
Michael O’Brien is one of the country’s premier portrait photographers. In a career that has spanned four decades, O’Brien has photographed subjects ranging from presidents to small-town heroes. His candid, unapologetic style captures the dignity and humanity of his subjects, whether they be celebrities or “ordinary” people. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, including Life, National Geographic, Texas Monthly, the London Sunday Times, and many others.

O’Brien is the author of two books. His first book, The Face of Texas (2003), is a collection of portraits that celebrate the spirit and character of Texas. The portraits are accompanied by brief, colorful biographies written by Elizabeth O’Brien. His second book, Hard Ground, published by University of Texas Press in 2011, unites his black-and-white photographs of the homeless with Tom Waits’ powerful poetry. The unique collaboration reveals our shared humanity with the men, women, and children who survive on the street.

O’Brien has twice been the recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Award for outstanding coverage of the disadvantaged. His photographs are in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.; the International Center of Photography in New York; the Houston Museum of Fine Arts; and the Wittliff Collection of Mexican and Southwestern Photography at Texas State University.

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