Behind The Scenes

Clients often ask me, ' what do you do when you are not taking photographs for a living? Well, I tell them, I take photographs for pleasure! Photography is a very practical discipline and not something you become good at by leaving your camera gathering dust in its bag! I nearly always have a camera with me no matter what I am doing or where I am going. I like to record things that interest me and keep a photographic record of my family life. How many times have you often heard someone say, 'oh I wish I had a camera with me to photograph that'! Although smart phones have now changed that to some extent, at present they are still very limited in their technical ability. I recently shot some record and PR images for my local variety group of their version of  'Oliver' based on the classic Oliver Twist movie. I shot most of it in black and white to add to that grungy feel that most of us associate with the movie. Here are some of the images from the shoot.

Rain, Rain & More Rain!

Ask any wedding photographer how his year has been so far with regards to the weather and I am sure you will get a few choice words or worse!  For a country that has a reputation for 'soft days' it has, without doubt, been one of the worse wedding seasons I have had in many years. It has played havoc with so many recent weddings I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to see the sun again for any wedding shoot. Well all my wishful thinking came through on Friday last for a lovely local wedding here in the Sunny South East which lived up to its reputation for once this summer.
A lovely couple and stunning weather allowed me the opportunity to get some great photos along the Quay side in Wexford town. These images represent what I consider to be some of the most important elements for good wedding photography: a bride & groom who are having fun and enjoying themselves, reasonable (in this case great) weather and a simple setting. Magic

Candy Floss & Hotdogs

Candy floss, hotdogs, popcorn and jellybeans. No its not a night out at the cinema (I dont get many of those!) but some lovely delights for the guests at a marvellous wedding I photographed on Saturday in the lovely South East. And yes we had a few sprinkles of sunshine but the rain stayed away for a wedding day that also involved ferries, beaches, pubs, and an artist. Who says you cannot have some fun on your wedding day! I will post some more images later in the month - keep tuned.

Summer Colours

Yes, I know the summer is supposed to be well and truly here but all you have to do is step outside and mother nature seems to be trying to tell us its all a dream and its still February. Well I know its not February because I had better weather in February for most of my wedding shoots! I am a little behind with my posts which is not unusual at this busy time of year so I am going to brighten up your day (rain or no rain) by posting some images of recent weddings and the lovely colours associated with them. I hope to post more images from these weddings over the rest of the 'summer' months.

Military Weddings

There is something special and attractive about a military wedding. I suppose the appeal for most people lies in the fact that they are not an everyday occurance especially when the Groom decides to get married in his uniform and involve members of his military unit in his wedding day.  Here is a small teaser from a recent military related wedding. Keep your eyes peeled for more coverage of this lovely day which I hope to post in the coming weeks.

My Gallery at Killashee House Hotel

Its not every day your are invited to display your wedding images at a well known hotel. And the fact that the display is a permanent fixture and part of the hotels decor is even more humbling. The hotel in question is the lovely and well known venue, Killashee House Hotel in Naas. I have been shooting weddings at this wonderful hotel for over ten years, from the first days of it opening its doors after its conversion from a day and boarding school. The gallery forms part of a new corridor which leads to the beautiful new orangerie which has just been completed off  the main Thompson suite.

Eighteen images I have taken at Killashee weddings over the years are beautifully printed, framed and mounted along this hallway with their own ornate light fixture allowing the images to be viewed at their best. I have to say that I was very impressed at just how well the finished images look presented and laid out in a very classical manner. My own private gallery! Guggenhiem here I come! If you are in the hotel dont be afraid to ask the staff to direct you to this lovely display which will give you an indication of what I can do with a bride and groom and this wonderful location on a wedidng day.

Horetown House, Wexford.

Horetown House is a lovely country house situated among the rolling countryside of County Wexford.
I recently paid a visit to the house in relation to an upcoming wedding fair been held there on Sunday 29th April from 2-5pm. The house recently featured on the 'Don't Tell The Bride' TV series and although it was exactly what the bride was hoping for, the groom had other ideas! The house has a lovely old world charm about it and its picturesque and private location make it ideal for a couple who want that something special on their wedding day. a few photo from my pocket camera on the day will give you a feel for this lovely wedding location.

Civil Ceremonys

Civil wedding ceremonies are becoming very popular and I have photographed many of them over the past few years. I am often asked by couples if I can show them some photographs from some of these weddings. I can understand why this is a frequent request: the fact that the ceremony is different from a Church ceremony and in a different location is something that may worry the couple when it comes to having their photographs taken. They often wonder how it will look and how their photographs will turn out in different surroundings. While it is impossible to show couples samples of every wedding I cover, I would like to show one example here of a civil ceremony I covered last year. This particular lovely Civil Ceremony took place in the Belling suite at Killashee House Hotel in Naas. The bride and groom on the day were from different parts of the world as were many of the guests that provided a cosmopolitan air to the day. Luis was from Spain and Nivash was from South Africa and they retired to the Original House for their Reception. I hope the following photographs which show a two page spread in a Wedding Book will give you a flavour of just what can be achieved on a wedding day irrespective of the type of ceremony involved.

The Wedding Book-New Covers for 2012

Graphi Studio have been the world leaders in digital albums for over 15 years. They are the original Wedding Book manufacturers and I have been dealing with them for over 12 years now so I know all about their service ethos and the absolute quality of their products.  They are one of the most innovative companies on the market and are constantly bringing new products and technology to the marketplace.  For 2012 they have introduced some new cover materials to their range and some lavish colours. It is almost impossible NOT to be able to match your album cover to your wedding colour theme!

One of the most attractive these new covers is the introduction of Italian Nappa Leather which is available in a great selection of both traditional and vibrant colours. Nappa leather is well known in the high-fashion leather industry especially with quality product designed in Italy. This soft and smooth to the touch leather brings a new level of quaility to the Wedding Book cover options. Also shown below is the very popular Crystal Glance and Varnished Covers. The Crystal Glance cover allows you to use any of your weddings images on the cover. The Varnished Cover is a high-gloss metal varnished cover which is stunning particulary in the brighter colours. All covers can be customised with the Bride and Grooms details and wedding details if required.