From our founder to our team, we share a deep love for photography and a commitment to creating something positive: a space that celebrates, supports, and uplifts our community.
FROM ALAN SCHALLER, WITH LOVE
You may have come across his monochrome images captured across the globe, dramatically lit portraits, or candid shots of dogs spotted on street corners. Or maybe you’ve heard of SPi, the platform he co-founded to celebrate street photographers worldwide. Or was it on YouTube, popping out from behind a bush to help you master backlighting?
Whether as an artist or an educator, Alan has spent the past decade building and nurturing online spaces that make photography more fun, welcoming, and connected, from a personal Instagram page with over a million followers, to a thriving YouTube channel, to Street Photography International, now the largest online resource for street photography.
But as the online world started working against, rather than for, photographers, Alan decided to take matters into his own hands, gather a team, and build photography a new home.
OUR CORE TEAM
Éléonore Simon — All things operations
A photographer and writer with a boundless love for spreadsheets, Éléonore brings 15 years of operations experience to keep the wheels turning smoothly at Irys. Her path through photography, from studio manager to photo magazines, has taken her on the page and behind the scenes, always landing at the sweet spot between creativity and well-oiled systems.​
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Luke Czak — The tech whizz
Equal parts coder, product thinker, and team wrangler, Luke keeps Irys’ engine humming (hear that sweet sound?). With over 12 years in tech, he’s a whizz at driving innovation and scaling products. At Irys, he leads our 15-person engineering team, building an app that runs clean and feels just right.
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Daniel Costantini — Keeper of the coins (and balance sheets)
Daniel keeps Iry’s finances sharp, sound, and ready for what’s next. His experience with blue chips, SMEs and startups taught him a thing or two about managing cash flows, asking the right questions and working with investors. At Irys, he keeps the numbers in check, helping us grow strong and steady.
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Gaida Almehaid — Form, function, and everything in between
A multidisciplinary designer with roots in architecture and a self-taught eye for graphic design, Gaida shapes everything visual at Irys, from app layouts to branding. She’s worked across print, digital, and exhibition projects, with a knack for turning photographers’ needs into thoughtful, supportive design.
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Tim Paton — Master of the handshake
With over 30 years in photography, Tim has done it all, from working behind the camera to repping some of the industry’s best, including a chapter at Magnum. At Irys, he brings industry know-how and a global network to the table, building brand partnerships that foster meaningful opportunities for our photographer community.
Jovel Walker — Making noise (the right kind)
Jovel specialises in navigating the wild world of social media, delivering no-nonsense, custom solutions that help brands stay on course. He’s worked with everyone from private companies to global brands and big names in entertainment. At Irys, he drives creative marketing that makes sure our story cuts through the noise.