Hi, I’m Grey O’Dwyer

I’m a photographer, fell runner, and rock climber based in Kendal, on the edge of England’s Lake District. Over the years, I’ve focused much of my work on capturing the rugged beauty of this landscape, building a comprehensive collection of photographs covering all 214 Wainwright fells — the region’s celebrated mountains and hills.

Some of these images are featured throughout this website, while others have appeared in publications or as fine-art prints.

Beyond the fells, I’m equally drawn to the rhythm of city life. Street photography has taken me from Vienna to Playa del Carmen to Ljubljana, where I wander from coffee shop to espresso bar with a small camera in hand — capturing candid moments and everyday scenes that catch my eye.

My Photography

At base my photography is human-centric, seeking to document and capture the lives of those who enjoy this mountainous region. For the most part this means hikers, fell runners, and rock climbers. In this sense my primary photographic focus is essentially a blend of adventure, landscape and street photography. My life gallery is home to these images. My secondary photographic interests lie in more traditional landscape images of the Lake District, alongside shots of the European Alps and street photography, primarily in the UK, Austria, Slovenia and Mexico. I also enjoy capturing Mexican street art when visiting family in this wonderful country.

Photographic Approach

Coming from a fell running and rock climbing background, I naturally blend these passions into how I approach photography. Most of the time, I head out for a few hours when the light looks promising, carrying just one camera, a single zoom or a couple of small primes, a lightweight fell running pack, and a few snacks. I don’t move quite as quickly as I would without a camera, but the setup lets me travel from valley to summit at a good pace — and with modern image stabilisation, I can happily shoot handheld at what are, frankly, ridiculous shutter speeds. Now and then, I’ll plan a longer day out and switch to a more traditional landscape or hiking setup, with two cameras and a selection of lenses. But truth be told, I much prefer the simplicity and freedom of my fast-and-light approach.

 

Camera Gear

When it comes to gear, I have no brand loyalty and I switch between different setups depending on what I’m shooting. On days when image quality takes priority, I carry a full-frame Nikon Z7. For more technical terrain, the rock faces, gullies, and ridges of the Lake District, I use an OM System OM-5. It’s compact, but those ridiculously sharp OM lenses never fail to impress. When I’m out fell running or rock climbing, I’ll often reach for a tiny Fujifilm XF10. It somehow fits an APS-C sensor inside (obviously witchcraft), has a fantastic prime lens attached, and is barely bigger than a pack of cards. I also keep some older Canon EF-M gear in the van (M6ii, M200). It’s nothing fancy, but it means I’m always ready to shoot, even on days when I didn’t set out with photography in mind.

Current Projects

Alongside the images that find their way into my portfolios there are three broad projects that I’m currently working on.

One: the shooting of 120 fells across the Lake District for a new edition of Great Mountain Days. Mark Richards is the original author of this highly popular guide book, but in my capacity as a photographer, I am presently working with Mark and Cicerone Press as part of a major update to the work, and as co-author of this second edition.

Second: a longer term project is a collection of images of all 214 Wainwright fells which I’m shooting over the course of 2023-2026. I aim to publish this collection soon afterwards.

Third: a set of images that offer an extensive photographic tour of the Bob Graham Round, a classic Lake District fell running challenge of 66 miles, taking in 42 summits across the National Park, that has a time limit of 24 hours.

Collaboration and Prints

Although I’m based in the Lake District, I don’t tend to sell many prints directly through my website.

Most of my work finds its way to local artists, guidebook writers, and publishers who use my images for their projects. If you’re interested in collaborating or licensing photography, please feel free to get in touch, or drop me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to chat about potential projects and would genuinely love to hear from you.

If you’d like to purchase a print of any image, I can arrange this on a low-volume basis. I’ve sold plenty of prints over the years, but the admin side, sorting emails and print orders, tends to keep me behind a desk rather than out on the crags and fells. And honestly, I know which I’d rather be doing, see you on the fells!

 

This website and its content is copyright of greyodwyer.com © Grey O’Dwyer, 2025. All rights reserved.