Cameras and lenses arranged on a wooden surface, accompanied by two Kodak Portra 400 film boxes.
Abstract composition of colorful geometric building shapes with pastel green, yellow, and peach sections. Three tall trees are visible in the background against a clear blue sky.
A person swims in a blue pool with lane dividers. Yellow and gray bleachers and a fence are in the background, with numbers "1 8" visible. Palm trees and a clear sky are above the fence.
A minimalist urban scene with a yellow post casting a shadow on a sidewalk bordered by red and white lines, beneath a blue awning.
A minimalist urban scene with a palm tree, textured white wall, pink wall with three round fixtures, and a blue post against a clear sky.
A tree stands in front of a mural depicting a forest. Palm trees and a pink pole are visible.
A teal streetlamp casts a shadow on a pale wall. A tan railing is next to a red painted curb with some red spots on the pavement. The scene is minimal and brightly lit.
Tall palm tree next to a streetlight and traffic light at green, with a sign below reading "Hollywood." Hills with observatories visible in the background under a clear sky.
Two yellow bollards in front of a green wall with a shadow and a partial view of a door on the right.
A colorful, geometric building features a wavy blue wall, a small window, and various pastel colors. Palm trees and a road appear in the background under a clear blue sky.
A white wall casts a shadow of a tree on a roadside curb. Behind it, a vast field stretches towards distant snow-capped mountains under a clear blue sky.
A minimalist scene with a white wall, small blue door, pink awning, and shadow of a palm tree. A single yellow post stands on the left, set against a clear blue sky.
A minimalist building facade with two light fixtures, adjacent to a tall, narrow tree and a green wooden fence under a clear blue sky.

George Byrne

Fine Art | Last Updated: March 5, 2025

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My name is George Byrne. I’m an LA based photographic artist.

I started taking photos at around fifteen years of age and after high school, I studied photography at the Sydney College Of The Arts.

I now create large-scale photographs that depict everyday surfaces and landscapes as painterly abstractions. I use various forms of photo manipulation to create my work.

My first camera was the Canon AE-1and then, as my prints got bigger, I moved to medium format: HasselbladMamiyaPentax 67, and Digital Pentax 645D.

I’ve never been a big gear-head, just like to keep it simple.

I like rugged, reliable cameras that are simple to use.

Following is a snapshot of my history in cameras:

Canon AE1 Program with Canon EF 50mm and Canon EF 24mm lens – this was a fantastic camera. The Toyota Corolla of 35mm cameras is a genuine classic that is super simple and light to carry around.

Hasselblad 501CM – maybe the most beautifully engineered film camera ever? More a Porsche 911 or a Mercedes. When paired with an 80mm lens, the images are beautiful, crisp and creamy, great for portraiture.

Mamiya 6 with a 75mm f/3.5 – the VW Kombi Wagon. A fun camera to use with cool, natural vignetting and a solid build.

Pentax 67 Mark II with SMC Pentax 90-180mm f/5.6 Zoom plus a SMC Pentax 300mm f/4.

I love the immediacy of the Pentax 67 Mark II with its huge glass viewfinder. The best, brightest, truest view finder of any medium format film camera I have ever picked up!

It is a heavy camera and prone to breaking down, plus the parts are hard to find. However, I love the results and the big prints are magnificent.

Pentax 645D with SMC Pentax AF 80-160mm f/4.5 and a SMC Pentax-FA 645 150-300mm f/5.6 ED – I don’t feel super strongly about this camera, I have zero emotional attachment, but it does a great job.

My technical process is straightforward. I shoot in natural light and mostly at 500 / f/11 or f/16.

The film I use is Kodak Portra 400.

I often shoot in LA in the hot sun, so I always use 50+ sunscreen and long-sleeved cotton t-shirts with a hood. I walk in HOKAS! They’re hideous but practical.

My advice to all photographers is to go for it. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Chase the things that grab your attention.

Play, practice, have fun. Photography is just an extension of being in love with the world around you.

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