Owen Luck

Owen Luck is an American photographer known for his photography of Native American and First Nation Canadian life and history. In 1973 he documented the AIM (American Indian Movement) liberation of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. In 1974 he was afforded the opportunity to photograph the first Ghost Dance in more the 85 years on the Rosebud Reservation. In 1975 he was invited by the Menominee Warrior Society to document their occupation of the abandoned Alexian Brothers Novitiate on their Wisconsin reservation.

From 2004 thru 2006 he photographed among the Makah People of Neah Bay, Washington. During that time he was twice invited to participate in and joined the Makah’s Tribal Canoe Journey. As a participant observer he was able to document the community’s program to preserve its maritime cultural heritage.

Since 2006, Luck has focused his photography on the Haida culture of the Haida Gwaii. Having been adopted by and named into the Yaghu Laanaas Raven Clan, he is creating a visual record that explores continuities between the art visible at ancient sites and the practices of contemporary Haida carvers.