Robin O

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Robin O'Neill

Home Base / Whistler, BC, Canada

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Overview

Photography

Sports

Top Clients

Sister Summit Arc'Teryx Red Bull Crankworx Whistler Dakine Mountain Equipment Coop Giro CamelBak

Activity

Bike Adventure

Biography

Robin O’Neill entered photography from an oblique angle during her university years. Heading to Guyana, Africa, for humanitarian work, she borrowed her dad’s film camera, reading the manual on the flight. Dad’s camera in hand, more humanitarian trips to the southern hemisphere followed. To help with fundraising, Robin sold prints from her travels in BC coffee shops, sending some of the proceeds back to the communities where she’d volunteered.

It was a beautiful life, but it wasn’t a living. So Robin went back to school for photography. Armed with a second degree she moved to Whistler and learned to ski. Later, she applied for a job with the resort as a photo editor. They hired her. It was a window to a new career.

At a Whistler Blackcomb colleague’s request, Robin signed on for what, at the time, was the biggest photography contest in the outdoors, Whistler’s World Ski & Snowboard Festival Photo Challenge. Her slideshow was a stark departure from the norm—banger images broken up by afterthought filler shots.

The Photo Challenge confirmed for Robin that she was better suited to field work than the office. Today she takes assignments on skis and bikes from the likes of Arc’Teryx, Dakine, Giro, Mountain Equipment Coop, CamelBak, Whistler Blackcomb and more. Clients return to Robin because she understands that a brand story is still storytelling. It requires more than a single jaw dropping image—although she captures plenty of those too. As she’s done her entire adult life, she makes a human connection with athletes and brand managers to deliver on vision.

Portfolio

O'Neill MTB

O'Neill SKI

O'Neill Environmental Portraits

O'Neill & Yeti

O'Neill & Sister Summit

Robin came to outdoor sports later in life, but if a shoot involves skis or bikes—or hiking or trail running—Robin can handle it. Her strength to weight ratio is off the chart and she’s comfortable in all terrain—inbounds and out. She doesn’t ride Red Bull rampage drops, obviously, but neither do any other mountain bike photographers.

Robin tells stories with her photography. There are no throwaway shots between cover-worthy hero images. When you receive an edit, or take in a gallery of her images, you experience the world through her eyes.

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Marc Peruzzi

Editor, Writer, Hence Content Chief.

“Sport photography chases what’s fashionable.,” says Robin. “To be long lasting you can’t get worked up about being in fashion.”

Career Storyline

Statistics

Years of experience

60+

Commercial clients

100+

Travel assignments

Work Experience

PAST

UPCOMING

Awards and Recognition

20030314

Winner of WSSF Deep Summer and Deep Winter Photo Challenge.

20070117

People’s choice award for Pro Photo Showdown

20171111

Red Bull Illume Finalist

20191009

Judge for Banff Film Festival Photo Essay Competition

20030314

Winner of WSSF Deep Summer and Deep Winter Photo Challenge.

20070117

People’s choice award for Pro Photo Showdown

20171111

Red Bull Illume Finalist

20191009

Judge for Banff Film Festival Photo Essay Competition

Featured in Hence Journal

Meet a Pro

November 11, 2023 / by Marc Peruzzi

Robin O'Neill

Trade Secrets

November 11, 2023 / by Marc Peruzzi

Robin O'Neill | Athleticism is Part of the Job

11th Nov 2023

Meet a Creative: Robin O'Neill

11th Nov 2023

Trade Secret: Robin O'Neill | Athleticism is Part of the Job

Robin O'Neill

Portfolio

Career Storyline

Work Experience

Awards and Recognition

Featured in Hence Journal

Featured in Hence Journal

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