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Ryan Morrison is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and visual storyteller with 15+ years of experience creating stories that connect people, amplify missions, and bring meaningful ideas to life.

BALLET photographs

KENYA Photographs

A Story of Hope is a 25 minute documentary short film shot and edited by Ryan Morrison. It is about the barriers to and importance of education in Kenya and what the organization Rising Daisies is doing about it.

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video projects

Education for Ogilgei

Salem Ballet - Complete Ballet

Esther’s Story

Ballet Des Moines at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Rangoli In Iowa - Sonal Mistry

Celebrating 15 Years of the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers

Of Gravity and Light - Complete Ballet

Ballet Des Moines + PARA.MAR Kiss Ballet - Complete Ballet

About

I love stories. More importantly, I love the people behind them.

I’ve always been curious about people - what they care about, what they’ve experienced, what they’re passionate about, and what makes their story uniquely theirs. Photography gave me a way to listen, connect, and tell those stories visually.

I started taking photography seriously around 2003, and eventually my love of storytelling led me into filmmaking. Along the way, I taught photography and video editing while working at Apple, helping others discover the same creative possibilities that first drew me to the craft. In 2014, I made the leap to working full-time in video and have been fortunate to spend the years since creating documentaries, interviews, organizational stories, and visual content for people and organizations I believe in.

I care deeply about quality and craftsmanship, but I also believe the best work comes from genuine relationships and a willingness to listen. That’s one reason I’m honored to serve as a judge for the Regional Emmy® Awards and as a member of the Telly Awards Judging Council. Seeing the work of other talented storytellers continually challenges and inspires me to keep learning and growing.

Outside of work, my greatest joy is being a husband and dad. I love spending time with family and friends, taking long walks, reading, traveling, and - of course - bringing a camera along whenever the opportunity presents itself.

At the end of the day, I’m grateful that I get to make a living doing something I genuinely love: meeting people, hearing their stories, and finding a way to help those stories be seen.

 AWARDS

2025 Telly Award - Bronze
2023 Telly Award - Silver
2022 Telly Award - Bronze
2022 Telly Award - Bronze
2022 Iowa Motion Picture Association - Award of Excellence
2022 Iowa Motion Picture Association - Award of Achievement
2022 Iowa Motion Picture Association - Award of Achievement
2022 AVA Digital Award - Platinum
2022 AVA Digital Award - Gold
2021 Regional Emmy® Award - Nominee
2021 Regional Emmy® Award - Nominee
2021 Telly Award - Silver
2021 Telly Award - Bronze
2021 Telly Award - Bronze
2021 Iowa Motion Picture Association - Award of Achievement
2021 Communitas Award - Excellence In Community Service
2020 Regional Emmy® Award - Recipient
2020 Regional Emmy® Award - Nominee
2020 Davey Award - Gold
2020 MarCom Award - Platinum
2020 MarCom Award - Gold
2020 Telly Award - Silver
2020 Telly Award - Bronze
2020 Hermes Creative Award - Gold
2020 Hermes Creative Award - Gold
2020 Communicator Award - Recipient
2020 Communitas Award - Excellence In Community Service
2019 Telly Award - Bronze
2019 Davey Award - Silver
2019 Global Trend Award - Quest
2019 Global Trend Award - Quest

Photo GallerIES

2026 Iowa - Johnston Public Library
2024 Iowa - Johnston Public Library
2011 California - Santa Barbara 1002 Anacapa St

FILM FESTIVALS

2024 Farm to Film Festival
- Official Selection
2024
IndieX Film Festival

- Official Selection
2023 Independent Shorts Awards
- Best Documentary Short
2023 Cal Film Festival
- Documentary Shorts - Semi-finalist
2020 SHORT to the Point

- Mini Video Short – Official Selection

2020 Indie Short Festival

- Best First Time Director (Male)
- Best Documentary Short Nomination
2020 Docs Without Borders
- Excellence Award Winner
2020 Awareness Film Festival
- Merit Award of Awareness
- Awareness Festival Panel Speaker
2020 Independent Shorts Awards
- Film Festival Finalist

EXPERTISE

Photography
Photojournalism
Portraiture
Video Production
Video Editing
Visual Storytelling
Leading Interviews
FAA Part 107 Certified Drone Pilot
STOP THE BLEED® Certified

2024 Photo Gallery at the Johnston Public Library

Whatever the project
I’d love to talk.