Owen was among the early pioneers of British photography, writing to William Henry Fox Talbot in early 1845 to request a sample of the calotype process, mentioning that he ‘for some time practiced the process on Silver’, suggesting that he was already familiar with making daguerreotypes. He worked as an accountant and chief cashier at the Great Western Railway, but by 1851, had been elected as one of the photographers tasked with capturing 155 photographs of the Great Exhibition. The resulting prints were used to illustrate the Reports of the Juries, bound volumes which were distributed to Queen Victoria and various institutions.

Owen was based in Bristol, the architecture of which is often seen in his work. He also photographed the surrounding countryside, such as waterfalls and ruins, as well as trees, as in these examples. Later copies of his prints were made into postcards for tourists visiting the city of Bristol. Owen was a founding member of the Calotype Club, established in 1847. His works were exhibited as early as 1852 at the Society of Arts exhibition, and the following year at the Photographic Institution.