**** the recession

This will be the first image in my studio window for the New Year. The text to go along with it on the side window will say "how to deal with the recession". Since we have all been scared to death by the media about what the New Year will hold, I thought this was appropriate.

Des Bishop

Just did a brilliant shoot with Des Bishop.

Des needed a shot for his new tour "Unbearlable".

He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted, so I had a think and came up with a few ideas.

I was expecting him to say no to most of them, but he did everything I asked of him! Including getting into the sea in November!!! What a trouper.

As a result, there are loads of really great and different shots. (Even if I do say so myself)

I am really happy with this shoot. More like this please!

Clontarf Exhibition

After nearly 3 years of shooting, I finally had the opening of "Images of Clontarf". My exhibition of landscape photographs of the Clontarf Promenade, The Wooden Bridge and The Bull Wall.

Roddy Doyle kindly agreed to officially open the exhibition and said some very flattering things about me and my work. The studio looks even better as an art gallery than I could have imagined. There was a great turn out on the night and we sold quite a few limited edition prints.

The opening was on 6th November, 7 years to the day I had the opening of the studio and also my birthday!

The Exhibition will run until Christmas, so if you are passing, please drop in.

Halloween

Pearl wanted to fly and Calum wanted to chop someones head off!

Your wish is my command!

And the winner is...

What does it feel like to win a major photography award? 

Have a look at the video I secretly recorded when I won "Overseas Photographer of the Year" at The British Professional Photography Awards.

British Professional Photography Awards "Overseas Photographer of the Year"

Amazing! I can't believe it! What a night!

I just won "Overseas Photographer of the Year" at The British Professional Photography Awards for the second time!

The "Overseas" awards are for all the entries outside of the UK. There were over 3000 entries and photographers travelled to the awards ceremony from as far away as Russia and Singapore.

The image that won for me is a shot I took of entrepreneur Niall Shanahan. I always feel a good portrait is a collaboration between the photographer and the sitter. There is only so much the photographer can do with lighting etc, the rest has to come from the subject and Niall was great at giving me what I wanted in this shot.

I was surprised to win with this image to be honest, as it's what I would call a "quiet" portrait, it doesn't scream "look at me". But the judges commented on the power of the image to draw you in and the depth of the blacks and print quality.

The British Professional Photography Awards

This weekend sees the final of The British Professional Photography Awards. I was lucky enough to have won Overseas Photographer of the Year, Overseas Portrait Photographer of the Year and Overseas Wedding Photographer of the Year in 2006.

From the thousands of entries submitted this year, I am delighted to have had some of my images chosen for the grand final.

So it's off to Newcastle upon Tyne on Sunday, with fingers and everything else crossed!

Roddy Doyle

Roddy Doyle the writer, very kindly agreed to come in to the studio to let me photograph him. I had about 45 minutes and we tried several different lighting set ups. I think one of the keys to a successful portrait is to try and relax as much as possible, both the subject and the photographer. Most people have a dread of being photographed and before the shoot often compare it to a trip to the dentist, but usually by the end, they seem to have enjoyed the experience.
Even though I am sure he has been photographed thousands of times, Roddy was no different. We had a great chat about schooldays and some of the mad teachers we had (he used to be a teacher) and we both relaxed fairly quickly.
These are a couple of my favorite images from the shoot. The second one was literally the last shot of the session. He put on his manbag to leave and I called him back to take a shot with it on as I think it looks really cool. I had been toying with the idea of buying a manbag myself for a while and went out and bought one after the shoot.

He invited me round to his house for a cup of tea and to show him the results of the shoot. He seemed very happy with them and gave me a signed proof copy of Click, a collection of short stories about a photographer. What a lovely guy.

Jason Byrne in Vicar St

Universal Studios asked me to take some shots of Jason Byrne the comedian in Vicar St for his new live DVD. I had only ever seen him on his TV show Anonymous and had no idea of how funny he is. A really cool, down to earth guy, a pleasure to work with, no problem with me shooting him everywhere, apart from the toilet, I did try!
The show was amazing, he was absolutely on fire, so quick and one of the funniest comedians I have ever seen. The energy level was off the scale. It's no wonder he has just become the biggest selling act in the history of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 24,000 tickets!
I bumped into PJ Gallagher backstage after the show, another very funny comedian and lovely guy. Jason and PJ used to work together in the same factory. That must have been a fun place to work.











PJ kindly offered me a lift home, but we had to stop and change a flat tyre on the way. Or rather PJ did, I was busy, taking photos!

My New Headshot

It's a bit like a plumber who never fixes that leaking tap at home. I haven't updated my own headshot for a couple of years now and was in danger of being one of those photographers who look about 20 years older in real life!

I always think you can tell a lot about a photographer from their own headshots. The choice of background, type of pose, use of Photoshop, soft focus (oh dear), camera as prop (oh very dear), etc, speaks volumes about their style and tastes.

I hate having my photo taken. It throws up so many issues with me about self image, I have an idea in my head about how I look and then I see the reality and it's so depressing. 
I wanted to do something a bit different and hopefully interesting, so I set up the camera on a tripod in the studio and used the 10 second timer and took the shot myself. 

So what does my new headshot say about me? Mmmm.

Speaking at WPPI in Vegas

This is the BIG one.
I am absolutely delighted to have been asked to give a Masterclass on portrait photography at WPPI in Vegas next year.
This is the biggest professional photography convention in the world with over 9000 photographers attending.
I have seen some of the best speakers there in the past and I can't believe I'm going to be one of them!
Now all I have to do is think of something to say!!!

Diffusion Fashion Shoot

Just finished my first fashion shoot for years! It is an editorial shoot for Diffusion a beautiful fashion boutique in Clontarf run by Kate Gleeson.
I teamed up with top fashion stylist Tanya Grimson and together we came up with the idea of doing something high fashion with an edge. Tanya and I used to work together on magazine shoots when we were both just starting out, so it was great to work with her again. She is now one of the top stylists in the country and so busy, I was lucky to get her.
The shoot is going to be published in the Weekend magazine of The Irish Independent, which has a circulation of over half a million, so it's a nice calling card to say I'm back!

The Team. From L to R
Tanya Grimson (Stylist), De McKernan (Billy's assistant), Billy Orr (Hair & Make-Up), Anne Hobson (Tanya's assiatant), Me, and in front, our very own supermodel Karen Fitzpatrick

a portrait portfolio

Here is my new portrait portfolio. It consists of some of my favorite new and old images. My first video and my first blog all on the same day, very productive.

My new blog!

If you can't beat them, join them.
I have been so bad about updating my "news" page on my website, because I have to use code and I always forgot to put in a < or something, that I thought I would try a blog instead. so here goes!