Ryan Handt Photography

Ryan is a photographer who lives in New York City, creating work for both himself and for you.

Raised on the outskirts of New York City, I was exposed to a lot of culture and diversity in my upbringing. My Parents, being the first of their families to venture out of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, always found reasons to return to the city or Brooklyn for day trips or weekends. We would frequent the city and spend countless weekends on the beaches of Brooklyn, mostly Coney Island.

My interest in art was innate. I seemed to find it in everything I did. My parents told me I was “always building something”. I would make intricate sand sculptures on the beach. I loved to draw with whatever I could find and sculpt trinkets out of play-dough or my food (jelly packets). This led me to excelling in art classes at a young age. At the age of eleven, I was given the opportunity to work with a few other students to create a permanent visual dedication for two former students who lost their lives in a fatal kayaking accident. It was in the style of Keith Herring. The mural is currently in the entranceway of my elementary school. Since then, I knew art was my future.

My love for photography grew during high school where a bum ankle from a skateboarding accident led me to photograph portraits and skateboarding of those I consorted with. I thank my father for throwing the camera at me and telling me to get out of the house. In 1999, I opted for college over my senior year of high school and there I took my first photography class. This is when I realized that this was what I wanted to focus on for my life. The following fall, I attended Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, California. There, I studied photography along with painting, figure drawing, design and sculpture. It was there that I learned more about appreciating all facets of art more fully, in a way my public schools could not afford me. After three years, I decided the west coast wasn’t for me, so I returned to New York and finished my BFA at The School of Visual Arts. Upon my return I was more focus and determined to get the most out of education. I was on the dean’s list from 2004 though 2006 and was part of a selected group of graduating students to participate in the Mentor Program, which culminated with a gallery show, titled “the Mentor Show”. After graduating, I took it upon myself to start a critique group with a few graduates from SVA to continue the discussion of our art. With the help of others in the group, we organized a show, which was titled “Isthmus”.

Currently, I work as a retoucher and photo assistant and shoot editorial work. I have also tried my hand in teaching art, both at the Harlem School of the Arts and as a teaching assistant at the School of Visual Arts. I found it very fulfilling and hope to continue this facet of work in the future. All the while, I continue to take photographs and push forward with my art.