Phillip O'Leary is a graduate of New York's International Center of Photography. His photographic work is focused on capturing portraits of regular people like fishermen in Cambodia, monks in the monasteries of Nepal, cooks in the back alley kitchens of India, and cowboys in Mexico.
THE BUFFALO HUNT, his first film, originated when he traveled to North Dakota in 2017 to photograph the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at Standing Rock. After befriending a group of Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux Indians, Phill began to wonder what life would be like on the reservation after the circus of media and outsiders departed.
Currently he’s directing a new cinematic venture exploring complicated family dynamics and how we can transform suffering.
Beyond his professional achievements, Phill is an advocate for youth, dedicating himself to empowering the next generation through storytelling.