Austin · Dallas · Houston · San Antonio
Ryan Dunbar, commercial and editorial portrait photographer in Austin
Ryan Dunbar is a commercial, advertising and editorial portrait photographer based in Austin, Texas, working across Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. He photographs advertising campaigns for brands and agencies, portraits for magazines and book publishers, and executive portraits for company leaders.
See the workClients and publications
The photographer
Who you'll be working with
Ryan has worked as a photographer since 2005. He ran a studio in the Canadian commercial market for fifteen years, made campaigns and editorial portraits in the Philippines and Thailand, and moved his base to Austin in 2024.
His work has run in a Dove advertisement, in HELLO! and The Big Issue, and on the covers of two HarperCollins books, one of them an international bestseller. Brand clients include Koopers Whiskey, Farzam Carpets, Lennard Taylor and Seda Hotels.
He photographs every job himself. The person on the first call is the person behind the camera on the day, and the one who approves every final before it reaches you. Some of his clients are in public life, including a United States Army general and a candidate for Congress. He keeps those clients private.
More about Ryan
Selected work
Some of the work, and where it ran
Campaigns
Advertising and campaign photography
Ryan photographs advertising campaigns for brands and the agencies that work for them: fashion and retail, food and drink, hospitality and products. A campaign has to read as one brand wherever it appears, on a billboard, a product page, a printed catalogue or a phone screen, so every frame in a set is lit and directed to the same look.
His campaigns include a marketing campaign for Koopers Whiskey, the catalogue and website for Farzam Carpets, resort photography for Seda Lio in the Philippines, lookbooks and advertising for designer Lennard Taylor, and the store-launch catalogue for Neena Swim in Manila. He books and runs the crew, hair and makeup, styling and locations himself, in the studio or on location.
See the campaigns
Editorial
Editorial portrait photography
Ryan photographs portraits for magazines, newspapers, book publishers and authors. An editorial portrait has to tell a reader who someone is in one frame, and it has to get past a photo editor or an art director before anyone else sees it.
His portraits of author and dog rescuer Niall Harbison ran in HELLO! in 2023 and The Big Issue in 2025, and two of them became the covers of Niall’s HarperCollins books: Tina: The Dog Who Changed the World, an international bestseller, and the paperback edition of Hope. He photographed the covers of Jason Tyler McLean’s books One Drop of Water and The Monarch Butterfly Effect, and his editorial work has been published in The Guardian. Musicians, actors and writers commission him for album covers, press kits and portfolios.
Editorial portraitsPortrait commissions
Executives
Executive portraits and headshots
Founders, executives and company leaders hire Ryan when a portrait has to stand up in public: a press release, an award announcement, a magazine feature, a leadership page or a book jacket. He lights, directs and retouches these portraits the way he does his advertising work, so they hold up beside everything else the publication or the company puts out.
Headshot sessions are booked online at a set price, $795 or $1,495, in the studio in Austin or at your office. A location sitting carries a travel fee. A portrait made for an advert, a cover or a campaign is quoted as a commission, because it is licensed for that use.
Headshot sessionsPortrait commissionsCredits
Clients and publications
Advertising and campaigns
- Dove
- Koopers Whiskey
- Farzam Carpets
- Lennard Taylor
- Neena Swim
- Seda Lio
- Aldo Formalwear
- Ikonic Leather Works
Publications
- HELLO! (UK)
- The Big Issue (UK)
- The Guardian, editorial work
Book covers
- Tina: The Dog Who Changed the World, Niall Harbison, HarperCollins
- Hope, paperback edition, Niall Harbison, HarperCollins
- One Drop of Water, Jason Tyler McLean
- The Monarch Butterfly Effect, Jason Tyler McLean
Service area
Where Ryan works
Ryan is based in Austin, Texas, and works across Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. Portrait sittings happen in the studio in Austin or at the client’s office. Campaigns and editorial shoots go where the work is: a store, a hotel, a loft, a street. Assignments elsewhere in the United States, and in Canada and Asia, are quoted with travel.
Commercial photography in DallasCommercial photography in HoustonCommercial photography in San AntonioQuestions
Common questions
Who is Ryan Dunbar?
Ryan Dunbar is a commercial, advertising and editorial portrait photographer based in Austin, Texas, working across Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. His work includes advertising for Dove, portraits published in HELLO! and The Guardian, and the covers of two HarperCollins books.
Who owns the photographs, and how can we use them?
Ryan keeps the copyright, which is standard. Your booking or quote sets out where you can use the pictures and for how long. Headshot sessions cover use anywhere you represent yourself or your company. Campaigns and commissions are licensed for the placements you name, such as your website, print, in store or on billboards, and more uses can be added later without a second shoot.
Do you provide the crew?
Yes. For campaigns and commissions, Ryan books and runs the crew, hair and makeup, styling and locations, and each appears as its own line on the quote. He carries liability insurance, with a certificate for any client or venue that asks. For headshot sessions, he can recommend hair and makeup on request.
How soon do we get the finished photographs?
Headshot sessions and single portraits are usually delivered within two to four business days. Campaigns take 7 to 10 business days after the shoot, depending on the size of the set, and a launch date can be planned around.
Do you travel?
Yes. Ryan works across Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, and takes assignments further afield. Travel is quoted on top of the shoot, and a headshot session on location carries a travel fee.
How do I book or ask for a quote?
Book a headshot session online on the Headshots page. For a campaign or a portrait commission, send a few lines through the form on the Commercial or Portraits page, or call, and a written quote follows.
Contact
Talk to Ryan directly
Call or email with any question. To book or ask for a quote, use the form for what you need.