San Marcos Academy welcomed renowned portrait photographer Michael O’Brien as the featured speaker for the Ninth Annual Wittliff Lecture Series on Wednesday at the Robinson Christian Center.
In addition to O’Brien’s presentation, the assembly also celebrated student achievement as four SMA students were named Wittliff Scholars: Greyson Russell, Melanie Irwin, Atticus Banks and Fallan Ervin. Each student received a scholarship to San Marcos Academy. Scholars are selected based on the strength of their essays, academic merit and their demonstrated interest in pursuing a STEM field.
O’Brien, widely regarded as one of the country’s premier portrait photographers, presented a lecture titled “Seeing, Becoming: A Photographer’s Life.” Over the course of more than four decades, O’Brien has photographed a remarkable range of subjects — from U.S. presidents and celebrities to small-town heroes and everyday people. His candid, empathetic style reveals both the dignity and humanity of his subjects, with work appearing in Life, National Geographic, Texas Monthly, the London Sunday Times and other prominent publications.
Early in his career, O’Brien made an impact through his documentary photography. In 1975, he chronicled the life of John Madden, a homeless man in Miami, a project which earned him the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award. He won a second RFK Award in 1977 for “Culmer: The Tragic City,” a photo essay on one of Miami’s most impoverished neighborhoods. His assignments for National Geographic took him around the world, from Appalachian coal country to Australia. A 1989 National Geographic feature on Austin contributed to the magazine’s National Magazine Award for Photography, while his 1985 portrait of Willie Nelson — later acquired by the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery — remains one of his most iconic works.
O’Brien is the author of three books: “The Face of Texas” (2003), “Hard Ground” (2011, with poetry by Tom Waits), and “The Great Minds of Investing” (2015). His photographs are held in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, the International Center of Photography, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University.
The Wittliff Lecture Series was established at San Marcos Academy to acknowledge and recognize the more than 200 American and international students and research fellows who trained in the laboratories of Dr. James L. Wittliff, as well as to celebrate accomplished individuals in STEM-related professions. The series has also attracted noteworthy scientists, clinicians, educators and thought leaders to campus, helping advance the academy’s growing STEM program. Its intent is to expose SMA students to the career journeys and accomplishments of exceptional individuals who have had a lasting impact on society.
“Through the Wittliff Lecture Series, our students are able to hear directly from individuals whose work has shaped fields of global significance,” said Dr. Brian Guenther, President of San Marcos Academy. “Michael O’Brien’s career reminds us that both art and science play a role in telling the human story and inspiring future generations.”
Students, faculty and guests responded with enthusiasm to O’Brien’s lecture, noting that his reflections on art, humanity and perseverance offered inspiration and fresh perspective for their own journeys.
