Lys Olson,
Adventurer, Photographer, Storyteller.

Growing up in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, I was constantly surrounded by nature, spending much of my time skiing, camping, and hiking with my family. My passion for art eventually led me to photography, and in high school I fell in love with the darkroom process—a moment that made photography a central part of my life. Looking back, that love began even earlier when my dad handed me a Kodak Funsaver on family vacations, and I consistently returned with images of the natural world. In college, I immersed myself so fully in photography that I graduated a semester late, taking every class available and continuing my mentorship under Professor Dennis Morimoto. Since then, I have continued to pursue my passion by traveling the world to attend photography workshops, teaching photography through REI, and constantly learning new skills across a variety of genres. At the heart of my work is a deep love for exploration—traveling through nature with my camera to create visual stories, whether photographing landscapes at sunrise or staying out well after dark to capture the night sky.