John Osman has been collecting photographs since the early 70s. His love of photography and the sheer joy of discovering something special have taken him from antique shops and flea markets to the great auction houses of Christie’s and Sotheby’s.

In his time, John has picked up rare and unusual images from master photographers from as little as two or three pounds. What his vast catalogue of photographs is worth now is anybody’s guess, but as any serious collector will tell you, it’s not about the money.

Having worked in galleries in London in the 70s, John decided to come home and open the ‘Gallery Of Photography’ in Temple Bar, the first commercial gallery of its kind in the city. As Director of the Gallery for over 15 years and hosting dozens of exhibitions by national and international photographers, John was able to draw on a wealth of sources to expand and enrich his photographic portfolio. The entire collection now runs into thousands and is stored at the Osman home in Co. Wicklow.

In 2000, a book was published highlighting 100 images from the Osman Collection. Entitled ‘The Lightning Strike’, it contains a wonderfully diverse collection of prints– some humourous, some poignant, many just plain beautiful– covering over 150 years of photography.

Today you can view one of the best collections of its kind in Ireland online at www.osmanphotos.com. For anyone who has ever picked up a camera in their life or indeed anyone who is even vaguely interested in Irish history, the exhibition is a treasure trove just waiting to be explored.

John has a number of old photographs of Sandymount and surrounding areas. Prices start at €25 for an A4 size print or €50 for a framed A2 size. Contact John at 40440401/0868328654 or email: johnosman@ireland.com.