Ryan McMahill took a photography course in college to meet an art requirement, but his interest in photography didn’t truly emerge until several years later. A friend offered him a great price on a camera, and once he realized how much he could do with it he was hooked. His new passion coincided with the boom of Instagram and social media, and though people tried to push their own opinions on how to be successful, Ryan was set on pursuing his own path. He wanted the freedom to constantly evolve and to develop a unique style, one that can't be pigeonholed. Today, his work spans a wide range – from concert photography to landscapes, fashion to street, and portraits to sports.
Embracing the challenge of finding the unexpected in Chicago’s famed neighborhoods and landmarks, Ryan strives to push the boundaries of format in his shots. He also likes to experiment with themes such as shadows, or with conceptual portraits. He makes an effort to get into the studio regularly, drawn to the ever-changing experience of people as subjects. He uses a few different cameras but always has his old-school Contax T2 on hand. Ryan is the founder of Feature Creative Studios, located in West Fulton Market.
Instagram: @ryanmcmahill
“There is so much untapped potential in Chicago as a market. Everyone thinks of the coasts when they talk about art, and overlooks the third largest market in the US! I want to change that. I want to bring more attention to the architecture of Chicago, as well as to the city’s creative underground that is fighting for a platform like the ones established in NY and LA.”
Ryan's work is featured in Trope Chicago, part of the Trope City Editions series, a collection of urban and architectural photography books of cities by today’s emerging photographers.
RYAN MCMAHILL was born in Los Angeles, raised in Saint Louis and eventually moved to Chicago after attending Miami University in Ohio. Ryan is the founder of the newly formed Feature Creative Studios located in West
Camera Clique: An immersive all-angles exploration of Chicago by Stephen Ostrowski
