Paula O'Hara Photography

New blogsite. Check it!

2009-12-01T17:24:00.002Z

Hi Folks
As of today this is now my old blog. Please click on the link and bookmark my new blog!
www.paulaohara.com

Ballydougan kids

2009-11-25T00:03:00.003Z

Here are some shots of my recent shoot at Ballydougan Pottery. This time it was the kids who were in on the action. Ballydougan offer 'paint a pot' and 'clay-throwing' parties for kids parties and special events. Ciara is on hand to guide them and help out with the difficult bits. I think its a fantastic idea. Their pots are then glazed and available for them to take home and keep. I was soooo tempted to put the camera down and have another go on that wheel myself!

I've been MIA on the blog this week I know.
Lots of things going on behind the scenes at the moment so its been busy. Blogging a session is usually the last thing I do in the week! Also I've been trying to shut the computer down before ten most nights so that I can chill out for a while on the couch. We've just got the movie channels switched back on again so I've lots to catch up on. Plus, I managed to finish some books I've been reading for about a year. I've just realised how much I miss my booktime!
Apart from getting some wind-down time my head is now filled with lots of inspiration and new ideas. I must admit, I was starting to get a bit grumpy and worn out. Working from home all day is new to me and I just haven't got the balance right yet. I'm making dinner and checking emails at the same time.

I've also been missing the girls in the GMINI office. Facebook and twitter are just not the same for getting that daily gossip fix. I'm still teaching at the school but conversation with teenage boys about cars, ferrets, Premier League football and Playstation 3 just ain't filling that gap at the moment for some reason.

On the plus side, my weeks are never predictable. I'm always meeting new exciting people, I get to spend more time with the kids, and I'm concentrating on what I love doing - taking pictures. If only this miserable weather would change soon as I've lots of outdoor work planned and it just ain't happening at the moment.

Jamie

2009-11-16T01:03:00.004Z

I love kids with curls.
It has to be one of my favourite things. And gorgeous, little Jamie has loads of them and big blue eyes to die for. He is an absolutely adorable little boy and he won me over right away. Usually when I come in and take my camera out kids can be unsure at first. Jamie walked right over with the biggest smile ever and climbed right up onto my knee. In fairness, I think he was after the camera! He is full of energy and mischief so we had to keep him amused but he gave me plenty of time to get lots of pictures of him. Here are some from the session. You're such a sweetheart Jamie!

Just look at these curls...

This is the face just before he is about to get into trouble...

Like I said, a real climber. He can't wait to get to get into the bath here...

Blogging-mums

2009-11-15T11:29:00.002Z

So I got up early this morning, feeling slightly rough after the big Awards night with hair clips turning up in all sorts of places. I think everyone enjoyed themselves. It was great to meet people I haven't seen in a while and some new friends also.
Dessie has gone off to play golf as he needs a break after being left in charge last night, bless him.
I'm doing well domestically this morning. The Kids are fed and dressed, I've started to tackle 'laundry mountain' and the dishes are done. Last night I was feeling all 'Joan Collins', this morning I'm definitely more in 'Pauline Fowler' mode. Anyway, I thought I would have time to blog some photos from the very glamourous Awards night in the Seagoe Hotel of the girls.
But nothing ever goes to plan for us mums. I have been trying to finish this blog post for a while now but it is not always easy to be a blogging mum. I might write one sentence and then I'll hear "MAAAAAMMM!" Child no. 1 needs three fireman DVDs down from the top shelf. Then I will sit down to write another sentence and then again another shout "MUMMEEEEE!" Child No.2 wants her tea party set up. Sit down write another bit, child No. 1 has decided he wants to dress up as a dragon and child No. 2 also likes the dragon idea but there is only one dragon costume so after a big fight and alot of convincing, child No. 2 is dressed as a princess who gets to boss the dragon about. That game lasts about five minutes and now the requests are coming in thick and fast. I NEED a yogurt, Can I write my santa list now?, Will you draw scooby doo for me mummy? Can you put teletubbies on? Mummy poopy nappy now, Jaffa Cake, Jaffa Cake!!, Where do dogs come from? Can I sit on your knee mum and help you work? Aaaaaghhh.
How do these 'work-from-home-mums' do it? It really irks me when I read about another yummy mummy saying "oh I just set my child at the table with a colouring-in book and they sit contentedly colouring while I make my calls and have all my work completed by mid-day then we head off to the kitchen to make cupcakes and its all so Mary-blooming-poppins... Ugghh. The reality is you just have to forget about blogging or doing anything constructive, turn-off the computer, take the kids to the park, and come back and finish your blog post later on when they are in bed sleeping. Attempting to do it any other way will lead to stressed-out, grumpy mummies, who are writing no-good, rambling blog posts and then eventually insanity.
There is a small child pulling on my leg so I'm off to the park, therefore pictures will be added to this blog post later on this evening.

So here is a quick run-down on how the day has been so far.
2am climb into bed exhausted with very sore feet.
2.30am Niamh decides she wants to wake up for a while.
3.30am Still awake lying in bed pretending to be asleep in the hope that Niamh will get the hint. Eventually she does and nods off.
5.00am Seanan has climbed into our bed after a bad dream. Now there are four and its a tight squeeze. Hard to sleep.
7.30am Must have fallen asleep as I wake up to the feeling of being slapped in the face. Niamh is shouting for breakfast. Drag myself out of bed, get breakfast for kids, dress them, then get myself semi-sorted.
9.00am Start the washing which has been piling up all week. Make a few calls then charge up some camera batteries and format cards.
10.30am Check into twitter, facebook, flickr, nosiness satisfied - blog post started.
11.30am Give up on blog post.
12.00pm Off to the park with kids.
2.00pm Ballydougan Pottery photoshoot No.three
3.30pm Home, dinner, dishes, house tidy up.
5.00pm Help Seanan with his colouring in.
6.00pm Upload photos from shoot to computer.
6.30pm Blog post eventually finished.

Two Years old Today

2009-11-03T00:51:00.001Z

I have so much I can teach her and pull out of her.
I would say you might encounter defeats but you must never be defeated.
I would teach her to love alot. Laugh alot at the silliest things and be very serious.
I would teach her to love life, I could do that.

Maya Angelou, 1928.

A very busy skeleton

2009-10-31T17:25:00.001Z

The little skeleton worked very hard today preparing for the Halloween party. He wasn't too keen on carving the pumpkin though and was wondering why there was so much orange smelly seaweed inside it. Making the rice krispie buns was much better fun.

You must always do the taste test first...

Happy Halloween!

Albums, magazines and... the brunch

2009-10-31T01:54:00.006Z

Not alot of blogging this week. I have been very busy working flat out on album designs. Also found myself back down in Red Dot office laying out pages for Getting Married in Northern Ireland Magazine. The Reader Awards is coming up in two weeks time so there is lots of work to be done on this issue! It's promising to be a good night. I've so much to do I'm running around like a headless chicken.

No post is ever complete without a few photos and here is Seanan enjoying his favourite treat - the Brunch (he gets a bit mixed up and calls it a crunch) Seanan has reached the age where it is very hard to keep a straight face for the camera - too much going on in that little head. He is hilarious at the moment and constantly makes me smile. He's still not that into school though and very happy to be on a halloween break.

On the subject of Halloween - this is my absolute favourite time of the year. The dark nights have just come in (not enough to get tired of them yet). The wind is howling and the moon is full. Everyone in our gang gets together to enjoy a night of storytelling around the campfire (if its not raining), fireworks, decoration, dressing up, apple-ducking, trick or treats, trying not to break your teeth on apple pie with coins in them, pumpkin competitions, partying and generally spooking the life out of each other. Our family have always celebrated festivities in the traditional sense. I don't know exactly what it is, but there is something in our very primitive, celtic roots that connects with this festival. The changing of seasons always revives my soul. Lighting the night with fire and stories under the stars is the best way to feel alive.

It is also Niamh's 2nd birthday party so I have alot to do tomorrow to prepare. Carving pumpkins, making buns, decorating the house with the help of a little witch and a troublemaking skeleton.

Also this week...
Snood - the hair saviour. I always try and work at my hair in the mornings to get that sleek, shiny, 'can't-stop-moving-my-head-silvikrin-look'. Sadly weather conditions here leave it like a 'Jamie-Afro' fuzz bomb. Today was one of those days with rain and wind shaking their fists at me. So I just popped that snood over my head and all was not lost.

I'm very excited about some new framing options I found this week. I've been working for a while on getting this side of things perfect. I will share more on that at a later date.

My sister, who is now personal shopper for Debenhams (yes very handy!), is picking out a nice dress for me for the awards. She is promising that I will look a stone lighter without the workout but she always was a very good salesperson. Its worth a try though.

I'm hoping to do a 'scary' amount of partying tomorrow night and still get to watch x-factor.
I'm a huge fan of Ollie, the man with the moves to win, but if the camera guy would stop zooming in on Danyl's mouth I think he would have a much better chance. We know he has good vocal chords, we don't need to see them, his gold fillings and his tonsils.

Anyway thats it for now.
Happy Halloween!

Almost two.

2009-10-24T00:49:00.012+01:00

My little girl is turning two.

Time is a precious commodity and I haven't been taking as many pictures of her or Seanan as I would like. This year is going too fast for me. When I started this blog all I did was take pictures of the children. Purely for pleasure and the want to capture every little stage. Things have changed quite a bit from then. Sometimes we have to go back to the beginning of the journey to find the reasons why we began it.

In the world of happy photo blogs sometimes it seems no one ever despairs, or grieves, or has a bad day, or wants for anything. This is not the real truth. I was looking through some photography blogs when I stumbled upon Sheye Rosemeyer. At first I thought I was just looking at the work of a very wonderful photographer but then I read about what happened to Ava and the tears came. It made me think about my daughter and how grateful I am for everyday that I have her. It made me realise how unimportant everything else is in the end. Shoes, holidays, fashion, material wealth, enjoyable but all nonsense just the same. Nothing else matters but the love we have for our family and friends and appreciation of every bit of life thats in them.

This is why I love being a photographer. If there is a chance that even one image can touch someones heart at some point in time, to help them remember, then that is enough for me.
Photography will probably never make me rich, but I know years from now I will be glad I have all these moments to hold, to help me remember her as Sheye remembers Ava.

So here's to remembering her when she turned two.
Her beautiful blue eyes and honey-coloured hair...

Her giggles and the way she tries so hard to pronounce every word...

Her lashes and soft baby skin...

Her busy mind and pudgy, quick little hands.

Her unstoppable determination, stubbornness and bad temper.

Her happiness and joy in the simplest of things, like soft, warm quilts.

Her 'schnuggles' in mummy and daddies bed at six in the morning.

All these things and so much more, I am grateful for.

Shooting for Stephen, me and... maybe Henleys

2009-10-22T01:39:00.009+01:00

Its been a tough week for various reasons and it was a pleasure to just get out and shoot some photos purely for enjoyment and experimentation. Sometimes when I'm out walking I see places that inspire me to shoot. When I find a place that I love I then try and find someone who suits the location. I've been meaning to take some shots of Stephen for a while now and this was definitely the spot for him. So on Sunday, hangovers and all, we headed out to the lakes in Craigavon to get some photos. This is actually somewhere that has meaning in his life. Stephen and the boys used to hang out under these bridges and maybe contributed to some of the graffti there! I love it and it's something completely different for me - just what I needed at the end of a complicated week. Stephen likes his Henley gear with a little bit of firetrap thrown in and I think he wears it well here.

Thank-you Stephen for putting up with me!

Dressed by Dad

2009-10-18T13:44:00.003+01:00

I went off to do a photoshoot this morning leaving Dessie in charge of breakfast and dressing.
When I returned he was in the middle of committing this most heinous crime against the eyes also known as 'Dad dressing Niamh'. There are lots of perfectly suitable clothes in her wardrobe - I don't even know how he manages to find and put together these combos. The socks just take me to the fair. I did ask him to buy Niamh some socks when he went to do the grocery shop last week. He managed to find this wacky pair. I didn't know Tescos was even doing a 'socks for clowns' range.

I'm starting to think he does these things to make sure he doesn't get asked again.
Ah well, can't complain too much as he is in the kitchen making a pie bless him and I'm sitting here blogging!

Beginner's Classes

2009-10-16T00:46:00.002+01:00

Classes for beginners have started again. I am currently doing a five week photography beginner's course in Benburb, Co. Tyrone. If you are interested in classes taken by me please contact the src (southern regional college) to find out more. I am particularly interested in demonstrating to parent's with new slr cameras how to take better family shots. So if you haven't a clue and want to find out more email me or the src for more information.

Ok, last time I promise

2009-10-16T00:23:00.006+01:00

I know this has been Caitlin's blog for the last week but I am a very proud aunt at the moment and making the most of it.
I'm not supposed to be posting any photos of my brother on this site. Under no circumstances! But how could I resist when their wee family is soooo incredibly cute! I might get a donkey nip on the arm for this but its worth it. This is the very last post on Caitlin for a while. She was such a supermodel (between feeds!). I'll give her a chance to grow now. But I just love these family shots. Aisling is such a natural mother and Caitlin is thriving. I'll leave the rest for their walls and storybook but here are a few of my favs. Hope you love them too.

Caitlin

2009-10-11T20:44:00.002+01:00

This morning I had another photo opportunity with Caitlin who is now five days old. She wasn't too keen on getting her picture taken (a bit like her Dad on his wedding day!)
She is as bright as a button and just refused to close her eyes for at least two hours. Too busy to sleep! She likes lying on her back, not on her belly and I think this is because she can see better around her. She was very contented to just sit back and take in her new world. I wasn't complaining though as it meant I could stay for longer and enjoy all the little things I love about her including the gorgeous dark mop of hair, perfect skin, pudgy lips, oh and she even had a few smiles for me.

I might have to go back soon and take some more!

Loved so much already

2009-10-06T20:32:00.008+01:00

I wasn't even really awake when the call came from Michael that she had arrived. It was the best wake-up call I've ever had. (Well maybe apart from my fourth Christmas Day when I awoke to the news that Santa had left a monkey and a treehouse in the living room under the tree, that was a good one also) But when I heard this I could hardly wait until visiting hours to go and see her.

Caitlin, Mary Toman was born at 00.32am, weighing 7lb 10oz and every bit of her squishy, gorgeousness. Thankfully everything went really well for Aisling and Michael, not that it was easy, giving birth is never easy but they got to stay in the very quiet and comfortable mid-wifery led unit in their own room with a bath and toilet. Not the parking lot experience down in the maternity bays that I experienced! Your in for a section, you haven't slept in three nights, you just get the little one settled and finally, finally you get your eyes closed and of course an orderly starts hoovering under your bed...

I don't mind not being the one having the babies in the family at the moment and yet I still get to be a part of it as Auntie Paula! Even so, when I held her in my arms I could actually hear my body clock ticking. Little voices in my head saying 'Well, maybe three would be better than two." "If your going to have another, you'd need to do it soon." "Seanan and Niamh would love it." Those crazy voices. As soon as I gave her back to Aisling it was okay and two kids was good again.

Also Niamh is no longer the youngest in the family. This isn't a bad thing as I think she likes to play on all the attention too much!
Seanan, being a man of few words, thinks his new cousin is 'a pink colour and very beautiful'. He also wanted to know if she would like to "come round and watch his new 'Thomas DVD'".

This is not Caitlin's official photoshoot, just a few quick snaps but there is something very special about the first hours of life. The newness, wet and unfurling like a chick just hatched. And all of us just watching and loving this little miracle of life in our ever-growing family.

I have created a new folder in my blog pics for Caitlin. I can see these being the first of many photos to come!

I love this little picture her daddy took. She is so cute in the little hat...

Postnote: If my husband is reading this - don't worry two's good!

This Season's Bridesmaid Shoot

2009-09-27T22:52:00.003+01:00

Here are few more shots from the recent issue of 'Getting Married in Northern Ireland'.

We went to the Lough Neagh for the bridesmaid shoot and there was a crowd of flies following us the whole day! The good news is we had lovely warm, dry conditions so it was safe enough to take the dresses into the beautiful meadows down there. I seriously need new clothes as everything I own has grass stains on it from crawling around on my belly all summer. There are always some strange looks from Dessie when I get home too.

Of all the dresses that were supplied I think the claret red dress was my favourite on this model and the colour along with the golden grass suited the autumnal theme.
You will find the photos on my blog are from my favourites, and are not always the ones that get featured in the magazine...

Getting Married in Northern Ireland Cover Shoot

2009-09-26T02:16:00.004+01:00

I'm working like a demon tonight to catch up on shoots from months ago.
Its late but I'm up anyway because poor Niamh is suffering from a bad cold and isn't sleeping so well.

So between calpol, cuddles and soothing words for the little one I'm just going to say a few words about a wonderful shoot I had in July on a warm, sunny afternoon at Larchfield Estate. Emma, the editor of GMINI, actually discovered this place and I'm glad she did.

I found the secret gardens of this old manor park to be a dream location. I'd highly recommend it as a wedding venue for brides in Northern Ireland and abroad. Collette, our model, was like a perfectly delicate china doll among the woods and flowers of the estate and we thought her auburn hair would be so fitting for the seasonal tones of the Autumn issue. The beautiful dress was supplied by Perfect Touch Bridal in Lisburn.

Fashion Shoot Workshop

2009-09-25T22:46:00.013+01:00

When I heard Agata Stoinska was running workshops in her Dublin studio for fashion photographers to say I was a little bit excited would not quite cut it. I am a big, BIG fan of Agata's work. I can often be found with a cup of coffee sitting in our lounge drooling over her bridal shoots for 'The Wedding Journal' and 'Confetti' Magazine. I have quite a few of her shoots cut out and stuck into my 'Big book of Ideas'!

Her editorial work is a favourite of mine. There is the quality of film stills and she has a great eye for storytelling and emotion, a very unique and rare talent. She also knows exactly how to communicate with her models with amazing results. It was an even greater joy to find Agata a warm and sharing photographer, completely unaffected by her evident success in Ireland.

The workshop was so worthwhile for lots of reasons. I got to meet other photographers working in different parts of Ireland, there was a buzz of excited chat about lenses, apertures, light, long hours, models, styling and lots of nerdie stuff that would bore the life out of all our friends and family back home!

I also ventured into the world of studio lighting, softboxes, strobes and beauty dishes with tentative steps. But it was a real thrill. We had amazing models on the day, the very patient and talented Catherine from Morgan The Agency made a big impression on the gang - well, she was making us all look good and when we weren't sure what direction to take next - she knew what to do!

Here are some backstage shots.

Catherine in make-up

Agata shooting Jayne with Nikki working the reflector

Me shooting Agata shooting Jayne with Tanya the stylist looking on...

Our first shoot was styled with an 'Audrey Hepburn' look in mind shot with a beauty dish and softbox behind. For the day I brought my 50mm 1.2 and my personal fav the 85mm 1.8 Here is my shot with this lens...

Our second shoot was shot using natural light and reflectors only and the model was Catherine. I just loved the Dm boots and they reminded of my 'ska days' when this was all I ever wore on my feet. Maybe its nostalgia or I'm having some mid-life crisis but this look totally sold them to me all over again and now I'm waiting for my new pair to arrive in the post!

Lastly, we shot Catherine again with a high-fashion look using studio lighting.

It was a privilege to be asked to photograph and document the Stargaze event which is happening in the studio this weekend and I'm so gutted I'll not be able to make it. But no doubt I will back down again as soon as I can find some time for another one of these fantastic workshops.

Charlene & Richie

2009-09-24T00:34:00.007+01:00

I'm so overdue a blog post that its not even funny but things have been hectic for me lately - I will explain at a later date!

I thought a great way to start back would be to post some photos from Charlene and Richie's recent wedding. Charlene picked the perfect venue for her day. The Cavan Crystal Hotel just suited her modern, fresh, contemporary approach perfectly with clear cut glass, silver, crystals and beading in all the details.
I met the girls in the hairdressers early and found them having champagne and chillin out. Then they headed to the beauticians for some more champagne, chillin out and special treatment. In fact we didn't need to leave the venue the whole day as there were a ton of opportunities for photographs everywhere. There were lots of laughs and fun moments at this wedding too. I had a giggle when the best man found it a bit of struggle getting the rings out of his pocket! I have to say, maybe it was the sunny weather, but I totally enjoyed every moment of it. One of those days when you just love your job! Thanks to everyone on the day for being so great at just being themselves.

Um, yummy...

Charlene loves her little ducks and of course Snoop whom you might remember from the e-session. Richie sent Charlene a little message from all the boys back home.

Mum helps Charlene into her dress...

Jason and Claire

2009-09-08T19:12:00.008+01:00

I don't always get the opportunity to photograph the weddings of friends so it was lovely to be able to photograph this one. Having worked with Claire on Getting Married magazine for a number of years so I found myself in the thick of it with all the planning, ideas and preparation that goes on behind the scenes. Its tough when your involved in the wedding industry like Claire and your planning your own wedding as you see so many ideas!
Claire had thought of everything. There were lots of fun details, the styling was gorgeous, she looked stunning but what I enjoyed most of all about photographing the wedding was just the natural happiness, warmth and sense of fun between Jason and Claire, totally unstaged, and completely priceless.

Thank-you Michael for helping me out on the day and also shooting some extra video footage for Claire on the morning. I could be doing with a second pair of hands for every wedding!

All that preparation whilst the men were in the pub having a quiet pint...

And of course the lashing rain as always!

Matthew

2009-09-01T23:40:00.002+01:00

Matthew, John, Samuel came into the world a week ago weighing 6lb 7oz.
He was lovely and sleepy for me and just stirred every now and then for a feed, oh, and also when the midwife arrived in the middle of the shoot! He had to go and get weighed in.
I always feel very happy and thankful to be doing this kind of work when I'm heading out to photograph new arrivals. Here are a few pics from the session. You can almost smell the squishy, newness...

Calling all the ladies

2009-09-01T16:43:00.005+01:00

From September I will now be available to do Boudoir Sessions.
This is a great gift idea for a husband or husband-to-be or just for you!

The idea is you get your hair and make-up done, get yourself into some gorgeous, girlie underwear, and when your looking and feeling fabulous I will photograph you in your own home working to produce a set of glamourous, sensual magazine-style images that you will love. There is no need to be shy as I have a very non-intrusive, sensitive approach to this type of shoot. We all have bits we like and don't like (being a 35 year old mum with flabby bits I do get it.) It can be a real boost to your confidence to see yourself photographed in this flattering way and it probably won't do your relationship any harm either!

If you want to find out more about the Boudoir Sessions email me as availability is limited.

Hugh

2009-08-25T00:21:00.004+01:00

I had totally forgotten how cute four month old babies are until I met Hugh last Thursday.
And they don't get much cuter than this!
He had just woken up from his sleep when I arrived. He lifted his perfect little head turned around and gave me the biggest grin ever. Thats when my heart melted.

Things I love about this age:
Their springy little bodies - straigten out, curl in, straighten out, curl in...
Arms and legs constantly on the go, sweet cooing noises they make when they are trying to talk, lots of baby drool, big smiles and funny expressions, the way can lift their head up when on their bellies to look at you, feet that have just discovered each other, I could go on but I'll just show you some pictures instead...

Kristen & David

2009-08-21T23:58:00.004+01:00

I had been looking forward to Kristen & David's shoot since I met them a few months back. They were an amazing couple to work with - and also extremely cute together! Kristen and I had been emailing each other back and forth excitedly for quite a while with ideas (kristen is also a photo-blog addict!) and we finally settled on Portrush as the location. We wanted a whole lot of fun, colour and romance. It was a real thrill to try something completely different for an e-session and I highly recommend it to all those girls still waiting on their shoots for next year.
When we got to Barry's amusements there were so many places to take photos I almost malfunctioned! Afterward we took a walk around the town and down to the harbour for some more intimate shots.

Thank-you Kristen and David - I hope you had fun!

Also any girls who are thinking about ratpack old school sounds for their wedding, book Dave He is the man for swing!

Other stuff thats been happening...

• This is my last week as a designer for GMINI magazine. I will miss the craic, the mummy chats, the bitchin, the laughter, the tantrums and all the girls so much. I won't miss the deadlines though!

• I will not have any more time on my hands as come September, start of term, I will be lecturing three days a week for the Southern Regional College. We had a staff meeting today and I am seriously scared. I think they have their own in-college language. EMA's, FELS, EV Reports, e-isla, ILT, SPP, SENDO, VEP, CDP, CCEA, EDEXCEL, - those in our educational services really like to use initials for everything. I think I'm going to have to take a course in src staff terminologoy first!

• Tomorrow I'm taking Seanan to get his school uniform. He starts nursery in September and every time I think of it I feel a little bit sick and also very protective. I can't believe my little bean is starting school. He is growing up too quick and I'm forever trying to catch up. Tonight I tucked him into bed with his fire engines and double-decker buses and wished for his life to always be this simple, resisting change, but knowing that it will come.

Mya

2009-08-17T00:25:00.003+01:00

Sweet little Mya. Just ten days old when I went to take take pictures of her last week.
She loves cuddles with Mummy and Daddy and being held close. We had to settle her a few times as she is very bright and knew something was up but it paid off in the end and she was a great little poser.
Loved those little toes and the frown (she was probably frowning because she wasn't getting much peace while I was there!) also her cherub puckered mouth, oh and the baby folds... totally adorable. And yes - I am permanently broody these days!

I have a list of things to blog over the next few weeks and I don't know how I'm ever going to get caught with everything so sorry this is later than I expected.

Small gestures can mean so much

2009-08-13T18:36:00.005+01:00

Last night I came home from work after a very long day of trying to meet impossible magazine deadlines (reworking adverts, resizing pages, correcting layouts) feeling tired and sorry for myself. I got through the door, ready for a bit of a moaning session when Dessie told me that some flowers came for me. Of course I said "Who from?" to which he replied "Just a note saying 'Love you always Richard'x" Always the joker my husband.

Anyway, it was a little note of thanks from Fiona and Dermot for the wedding photos.
My whole day brightened up and I found myself grinning from ear-to-ear!
It always means the world to me when customers are happy with their photographs as I put my heart and soul into the images in the hope that I will have captured a little something of theirs.

Along with the flowers there were Maison Fougère chocs. Later on I sat down happily to edit a boudoir shoot, munching away on my sweets and thinking if only it was as easy in real life as it is in photoshop to lose weight! (after I'd finished the sweets of course.)

John and Clare

2009-08-09T23:16:00.008+01:00

Last Saturday I had a wonderful time photographing John and Clare's Wedding. Everyone was very warm and welcoming. This couple just laugh so easily with each other - and I absolutely love that. It rained the whole day (so nothing unusual there) but Castle Coole is a great location for photographs even when its wet.
Clare's sister's did her hair and make-up (very handy having a beautician and a hairdresser in the family on your big day!) Obviously they know what works well for her and she looked stunning. I also totally fell for her dress.
Here are some of my favourite shots.

Everyone had a camera...

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

2009-08-06T01:31:00.004+01:00

This is our Jerry. Isn't he gorgeous!
I don't why I haven't posted pics of Jerry before. He is an overgrown white boxer with alot of personality. He is now nine years old and a big sweetheart. If you have food in your hand you will easily get his attention. He slobbers alot. He can clean his whole face easily with his tongue. You have no chance of keeping your trousers clean when he is around because he has to touch his mouth to your leg to say hello. His mouth is never clean and God knows where his nose has been. His swingy drool trails go everywhere and his favourite thing is jumping for sticks.

Megan

2009-07-29T23:24:00.009+01:00

You never know how your day is going to go.

Megan has been on work experience this week in the GMINI office. She is studying media at a local college and may very well end up as an editor of a magazine when she's finished her studies. She has been a great help to our Claire this week but we noticed some other fine qualities in her which would be hard to overlook.

Today was Megan's very last day in the office so I took ten minutes out of my very busy design schedule (deadlines looming!) to photograph her. Basically, I just told her that I thought she looked great and would she mind coming out to the back of the office for a few shots because we are always on the look-out for new models. I just wanted to see how she was with a camera directed at her. Turns out she was pretty amazing and had no problem at all taking direction. Megan didn't have time to get make-up or hair done, or even worry about styling. She didn't even have time to look in the mirror! But I think she looks great in these shots and I would love it if everyone who visits my blog would leave a comment for her to let her know well she did!

You can also see Megan as a leg/shoe model in a Panache advert in Gorgeous magazine. We had a little episode earlier today when Julie came in with some fantastic looking shoes hoping someone would put them on for the advert. Of course we were all standing about complaining about our legs. "My varicose veins are terrible", "I have ankles like tree trunks", "I haven't shaved my legs!" "My legs look a bit purple" were just some of the complaints that I heard. Lucky enough we had Megan there to bail us out, totally calm and collected, and fuzz-free.

If I asked Megan how she felt about working in magazines, I'm sure she would say "It ain't as glamorous as it looks!"

Safran & Keenan

2009-07-28T01:00:00.005+01:00

I have been waiting patiently for this little man to arrive. Watching Emma's bump grow as she got further and further away from her desk in the GMINI office where we work.
Emma is the editor of our magazine and also good chum. We have worked and stressed together on many occasions so she knew what to expect from me and had lots of patience.

So finally little Keenan was born at 6.12 last Tuesday morning weighing Seven pounds and 12 ounces. In these shots he is five days old and feeding alot! I definitely picked a good day as he slept the whole way through his photoshoot giving me the chance to capture all the little details of his newborn, gorgeousness.

I also got to spend time Keenan's big sister who was a very helpful assistant on the photoshoot - obviously taking after her mum! Organising the blankets and keeping an eye on the proceedings. She doesn't realise yet just the amount of fun its going to be having a little brother but she was happy to give him plenty of cuddles and kisses!
And she just gets cuter every time I see her. Little sugarmop curls, and shiny, bright eyes - total heartbreaker!

Keenan was ready for another little feed so me and Safran headed off to the garden for a little tea party.

Thank-you for letting me photograph your two gorgeous babies and hope you are getting some sleep Em!

Sam & Thomas

2009-07-27T01:14:00.009+01:00

Meet some more gorgeous munchkins in the form of Sam and Thomas. Sam is four and his younger brother Thomas is two and they definitely showed me they already have their own personalities. Thomas was quiet and a little shy at first, whereas Sam, who couldn't wait to get showing me all his toys, was full of cheeky mischief. He was particularly excited about his new transformer! Both boys are totally adorable and so much fun. Thomas has the gorgeous big soulful eyes and Sam has dimples to melt your heart.

Looking up to big brother for direction.

Cuddles from Mum will always bring smiles

I had to giggle at all the faces Sam pulls...

This is well overdue

2009-07-25T00:58:00.010+01:00

I've recently realised that I never post pictures of myself on my blog. This is mainly because I really don't like having my picture taken and feel more comfortable on the other side of the camera.

Today we were at the beach and I asked Erin, my lovely neice, if she could take a few pictures of me and Niamh with my camera. She jumped at the chance and was snapping away like a professional. I thought having my daughter in the shots would be a comfortable situation for me as I never know what to do when the camera is pointed in my direction but I love cuddling her and its the most natural thing. I would have liked to have had Seanan in this shot but he couldn't wait to get on the dodgems!

Anyway, it wasn't as scary as I thought, so here are a few pics. I was so tempted to photoshop the heck out of myself but in the end I decided to just make them black and white as it hides a multitude! And this how we are, a little rough round the edges.
By the way, the hair is meant to be sleek and shiny but the sea air turns it to fuzz. We both suffer from this affliction! I love Niamh's little, happy face in the first shot - she has been such a mummy's girl lately.

Dermot & Fiona

2009-07-23T09:11:00.009+01:00

The rain did not dampen the spirits at Dermot and Fiona's wedding a few weeks ago.
The craic was mighty at this very traditional Irish wedding. Fiona's attention to detail was a real treat too. Loved the colours (browns, dusky pinks, and greens) the amazing cake, the bridesmaids beautiful bracelets, (a gift from Fi), the tables names (Irish writers and poets), and the music, music everywhere. Barry Kerr on the Uilleann Pipes and the flute is a joy for the ears. Needless to say, there was also a plentiful supply of Guinness!
Reception was in the wonderful Ballymacscanlon House.

teapots and champagne of course...

Out of the office

2009-07-11T15:46:00.003+01:00

Just to let you know.
I will be unplugging for a few days. The four of us are off to cork to visit the family.
Six hours in the car with Niamh. Wish me luck!

How I see it

2009-07-10T00:47:00.026+01:00

“It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter, because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary.”

David Bailey

I'm not a great writer. I think thats why I choose to express myself in images. I would give anything to be able to explain in words how I feel about life and those around me. Some of my friends are great at this. Blogs I enjoys include Claire's, tara's, emma's, kristen's, barb's, ashley's, and denises' (a mixture of writers and photographers - some are both) and many more that you will find in the blogs that I follow in my profile.

I am still in the learning stages but photographers out there, including some of my students, have been asking me about my processes, lenses I use, and how I approach photoshoots. Therefore I'm going to try and give you a little insight into my methods in photography. This is just my way of seeing things and believe me, I still have alot of developing to do myself.

First of all, you don't need to go out and buy the most expensive gear to get great shots. I started with a canon 400d which I still use as a back-up. This is an excellent camera. If you combine this with the very 'budget friendly' 50mm 1.8 you've got all you need to start taking amazing photos of those around you. Turn the flash off and open your aperture right out to really get the benefits of beautiful natural light. Shoot with decent shutter speeds of 1/125 and above to maintain sharpness on the details you want. If your really stuck for available light bump up your ISO to 800-1600 and you should still be able to capture the ambience of available light indoors and out. After all, essentially it is all about finding the right light. I'm stilling learning this every time I look through that viewfinder. I'm using the same approach as photographers and artists have used for centuries, and there is alot to be learned from studying the old masters such as Rembrandt, michaelangelo, Monet and Cezanne. I'm so glad I studied art history and illustration in college because really looking at how the light falls on your subject is the key to discovery.

What I am thankful for is that I didn't learn my skills in a studio with artificial lighting. I would have missed out on so much. Natural light has a beauty and softness that can never be replicated with a bulb. I do realise amazing results can be achieved in studio shoots, with studio lighting, but its just not my way of going at the moment. I may experiment more in this area in future, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying my lovely available light.

Also, a big thing to think about is the time of day you decide to have your shoot. Morning light is muted, soft and dreamy. The middle of the day is not the best time for light as it can often be harsh and strong. Evening light, especially when the sun is dipping is a favourite for photographers. Catching the light at this time can be golden. You will never replicate this light in a photoshop action. Also, be aware of where the sun is in sky. Are you shooting into the light or against it? All these things will ultimately effect the mood of your shot.

Speaking of actions, I often get asked by people why they are not getting the same results when using the same actions. There is no easy answer to this question. You cannot apply actions blindly to all photographs. I would recommend buying good actions sets such as those produced by jinky art or Ashley MacNamara and then dropping all the layers down to 0%. Then build them back in until you get the desired effect on your particular photo. Sometimes less is more. No-one needs to over-cook an image. If your not getting results you would like you may need to take a look at the lenses and the light. Practice and experience will bring improvement. One thing all photographers will tell you is that you learn from mistakes made. Its not until you make them that you can correct them.

Get your exposure and focus right in-camera and you will have less to do in photoshop. I prefer to expose on the bright side. I shoot in raw format so that I can adjust slightly later on in lightroom. I always prefer the results from a slightly over-exposed image rather than that of an underexposed image because of noise problems in the shadows. At the same time, if you overexpose you will lose details in the highlights that may not be recovered so set your exposures correctly when you can. If shooting in manual mode there is an in-camera metering tool which lets you know when to adjust. I also sometimes use a light-meter so that there can be no mistakes. Focus on the eyes and make a connection there. If the eyes are out-of-focus this can be hard to rectify. Getting sharp eyes, in my opinion, is pretty important.

Lenses
My favourite lenses are primes. I recently spent alot of money on the zoom 24-70mm 2.8. Although this lens is useful when you really need to get that shot, it doesn't have the same qualities that I love in my prime lenses. My 50 1.8 records light beautifully at a fraction of the price, the bokeh, handling of depth-of-field and sharpness is very pleasing. At the moment my favourite lens is the 85mm 1.8 producing beautiful background blur and compression factors make it a really good portrait work-horse. I'm hoping to purchase the 50mm 1.2 soon as I like very wide apertures and sharpness in the details. I usually shoot with two cameras so I don't have to constantly changes lenses.

What makes a great picture?
This is the thing. You can be technically brilliant. You can have the best equipment. You can know everything there is to know about lighting and composition but still your images aren't making an impact. You have to love what you do. Be true to yourself. I know that I love recording daily things that happen around me. My kids are a constant source of inspiration. Capture something that moves you. Photography is often emotional and not always logical. Its in its nature. We want to connect with people and communicate something. Its hard to communicate it if you don't feel it. How does one teach passion. You can't. Photograph things that move you. Look outside the world of photography for inspiration. I love to sit in the children's section of Waterstone's bookstore and enjoy the wealth of illustration I find there. I particularly love the work of Oliver Jeffers. I also enjoy the flowers in my father's garden and long walks over fields, leaving the camera at home.

Jinky explained it well when she said "I think if we keep to what makes our hearts sing, and keep being inspired by a large variety of sources then we are likely to find our own path. Which is why its important to look within and look at a whole range of work rather then setting our eyes on only 1 source of inspiration."

We constantly compare ourselves to our peers and give ourselves a hard time. Someone always seems to be doing it better, with better lenses, better processing, better subjects. Don't sell yourselves short. Believe that your own vision of the world has value. Enjoy and soon enough others will enjoy it too. Keep building it. Record their lives as only you can because of your talent. Believe in yourself. Its a unique gift that you have been given. Appreciate it and although its a rollercoaster of emotions, ups and downs, don't give up. Enhance your photos your way and develop your own style.

I do hope this helps someone out there who is working hard and feeling deflated. Photographers, there is no secret code to getting it right. It really is a long road to success, which I am still taking myself, but make sure your enjoying the ride, because I don't know of any photographer who has accomplished everything they set out to do and completed the journey.

paula
x

Steven & Leanne

2009-07-06T21:10:00.008+01:00

I'm so happy to be finally able to post some weddings here!
With alot of nervous excitement I ventured out last Tuesday to photograph Steven and Leanne's wedding at Corick House. Being relatively new to wedding photography (this is my third wedding to date) I wasn't sure what to expect, but I did know that Steven and Leanne's wedding would be the best place to start. It was a lovely day with only a few showers so we had the opportunity to be out in the garden most of the afternoon.
It was a whole lot of fun actually. Everyone was easy-going and relaxed and they made me feel very welcome and much at ease. This couple are a delight to photograph. I think its evident here that they truly are so in love and really gorgeous together. I wish them all the very best for the future.
BTW - Corick House is a wonderful location for wedding ceremonies and for photographs. Weddings take place in the beautiful conservatory which opens out into fantastic gardens. Saves a whole lot of rushing about!

lazy saturdays

2009-07-04T12:07:00.003+01:00

We love saturdays mornings in this house. Dessie heads off to play his 18 holes, we lie about in our pyjamas, watch tv, play with toys, surf the net, just waking up slowly, no hurry anywhere... me drinking lots of coffee and the kids jumping all over the couch. Then, when we finally get round to getting ready we're off to mums for a big, late breakfast with the rest of the bunch.

Its our favourite day of the week and long may it continue.
Time to go, their waiting on us and the sausages are going cold as we speak!

Aidan

2009-07-03T23:45:00.005+01:00

I do love this age.

Totally cute, full of character and hard to keep up with. Aidan is the fastest little man I've met yet. I was trying to get ahead of him for a few shots but he always caught up with me!
There was lots of cuddles, kisses, tickles, giggles, exploring and fun so it was very easy to get lots of photos here. I just had to snap away as they stayed close and together naturally. Aidan seem to enjoy himself a whole lot too which is the most important thing. Conditions were perfect. Warm, balmy dry summer's night with open spaces all around and lots of natural light - what more could a photographer ask for?

Here are a few from the session...

Aidan demolishes a packet of tayto in about a minute...

Thank-you Michael and Diane for letting me photograph your beautiful boy.
It was a pleasure.

and so it begins...

2009-07-02T20:44:00.003+01:00

Just back from my second wedding in two days.
This is when the real work begins.

I haven't blogged any shoots this week because I've been too busy taking pictures!

pretty little things

2009-06-29T16:50:00.002+01:00

On monday mornings when the madness of the weekend shopping is over, I like to venture to the back of TK Max which is my little treasure trove for frames and albums. I know most of my customers order the beautiful ultimat frames which I layout for them for their main prints but for those extra smaller, one-offs you can get gorgeous little gems like this example which you can mix and match for wall gallerys, shelves or desktops.
They also have a small selection of nice slip-in, 6x4 albums at good prices. Definitely worth a look.

Happy Max

2009-06-28T00:20:00.002+01:00

Its the season for romance but I got a little bit more than I bargained for this evening on Aidan's photoshoot. Just after this shot I received the wettest, saltiest, wide-mouth kiss ever from Max the staffie.
Sometimes it hard to judge when to get out of the way when your looking through the viewfinder!
You gotta love big, happy, nutty dogs:)

Richie & Charlene

2009-06-26T01:00:00.004+01:00

I'm loving all the long summer grass and buttercups at the moment!

Last weekend I met with Charlene, Richie and a gorgeous little guy called Snoop.
He is a funny little character and kept heading off after the rabbits!
I did love their engagement story...
Richie had been searching for a bassett hound for ages because he knew Charlene loved them. The plan was to propose and have the puppy as an extra surprise for her on the occasion. Unfortunately it proved impossible at the time so he bought her a cuddly toy version instead.
But all good things come to those who wait and eventually Charlene found the hound for her and along came Snoop. He won't be appearing at the wedding so he got to be the star of the show here instead!

Snoop likes to go his own way and yes - sometimes he trips over his ears!

When one teddy just isn't enough

2009-06-21T22:56:00.005+01:00

I just had to take a picture of this because its soooo Niamh.

When she was just a baby she would sleep with Iggle Piggle only. Then she had to have LaLa in with her too. Soon after this Barney was recruited. Recently she has discovered Seanan's substantial collection of soft friends and its getting ridiculous.
She insists on carrying them all herself out of the bed and up into the lounge everyday. She never looks where she is going - hence the fresh bump on her forehead.

I put her in her chair for lunch and of course everyone had to get up there too.
Anyway, Dessie took ages to make the pancakes (we let him vegetate and watch skysports all morning - because it is father's day) and it was getting near sleepy time so Niamh couldn't wait any longer. I tried to put her in the cot but she was wedged in there tight and refused to be shifted.

By the looks of things I might of had more luck with the 'toy grabber' in scooping her up.

Also, I've had a bit of flu this weekend so I'm taking things a bit slower.
I spent a lovely evening with Ritchie, Charlene and Scoop so more on that later in the week!

John and Clare

2009-06-13T01:01:00.006+01:00

I had so much fun last Sunday evening on the beach with John and Clare.
We chose Murlough Beach as the location for their engagement shoot partly because of it's natural beauty and also because John actually proposed to Clare here!

John and Clare come here regularly so they know the dunes and mountains well.
I, on the other hand, did not realise how hard it is to climb up sand and found myself running on the spot most of time with a camera in each hand trying desparately not to drop anything!

I'm totally gutted that I didn't find out until we were on the shoot that John plays the mandolin - we should have had it with us for some shots! Hopefully it will be in the back of the wedding car on the day!

Does anyone else think Clare looks a bit like Catherine-Zeta-Jones here?

I don't usually capture skys but I couldn't help notice the beauty of this one when we were leaving...

Now for something less glamorous

2009-06-12T22:01:00.011+01:00

My life at the moment.

My youngest little angel has been very clingy and just wants to be in Mummy's arms all day long. I'm seriously thinking of getting the 'baby sling' out again. She just hasn't been herself lately and so lots of cuddles and hugs have been the order of the day.
Also, Seanan doesn't seem to play on his own and his favourite words at the moment are 'Come and help me mummmy pleeeassse!'
On top of this there are classes to take and photoshoots to edit.
I've had a week off from the magazine. 'On holidays!' is what it says on the office noticeboard. Um, I wish!!
My 'Mummy Guilt' has set in big time. When I'm off working I feel they need me here, and at the same time, I'm thinking of all the work I'll have to do after 8pm!
So if I'm a little bit slow on the blogging front this week you'll know why.
I'm making plasticine men, mending hurt feelings, cleaning runny noses, maybe having the odd meltdown when all the white vests come out of the washing machine blue-grey again, and wondering why can't I be a 'perfect-mummy-domestic-goddess-grow-your-own-dinner'genius like the women I read about in 'RED' magazine? Also 'thinking' about filling out my self-assesment tax forms but maybe leaving it on the back-burner for another while...

Anyway, here is the one image I decided to include this week.
It reminds me why I love being parent and a photographer, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Congratulations Carrie-Anne!

2009-06-06T22:50:00.003+01:00

I recently discovered that our cover girl for Gorgeous Magazine has won RTE's The Model Agent! This comes as no surprise to me after our shoot in April. The girl is just incredibly stunning in the flesh and lovely to work with as well.
It just isn't right that anyone can look that good with hair scraped back and not a pick of make-up on!

You can also see Carrie-Anne on the cover of the latest issue of Image Magazine photographed by Christian Ammann (amazing, genius, international, big-time photographer that he is!) I very much doubt now that she will be bursting to get back to good ole County Tyrone for a freezing-cold photoshoot again.

She is also expecting her first child in July and I'd just like to say, for the record, if i had known this at the time Carrie I never would have asked you to step into that wobbly boat!

Dale & Christine

2009-06-05T00:36:00.005+01:00

A couple of weeks back I met up with Dale and Christine for their engagement shoot.
We picked a beautiful, quiet morning and the location was perfect for them.
It always takes a little time to relax into an engagement session, for the couple and for me. There is alot of trust to be established. It's so worth it in the end though when you get a final series of photos showing all the real emotion, affection and love that exists between two people. I always feel very privileged to be there to capture those very special moments.

I just loved Christine's hair in this shot especially. It just looks so dreamy and romantic.
In fact this is my new favourite photo.

I noticed Christine had something very special on her wrist. Her mum has been giving her charms for different events in her life and of course a little engagement ring has been added recently.

May is a good time of the year to be an environmental photographer - so many beautiful colours everywhere.

Dale, I hope your looking forward to your Wedding photos now you've had all this practice!

Our annual 'summer week' has arrived!

2009-05-31T15:54:00.005+01:00

Very quick blog. Its too warm out to sit in here.
The kids are finally getting to enjoy a bit of summer weather and Niamh is getting to wear some of the summer dresses that have been hanging in the wardrobe since spring. Although she isn't happy about me putting dresses on her and keeps trying to pull them off! She definitely wasn't having any pigtails though and I gave up the fight in the end.

We're making the most of it outside because the weather will probably only last this week.

Alex and Kristine

2009-05-28T00:43:00.010+01:00

Last weekend I met the lovely Alex and Kristine for a photoshoot on the shores of Lough Neagh. At first I thought we were going to be rained out, but it turned out to be a really gorgeous, hazy summer's evening. They both live in Scotland and be will getting married over here next June. The wedding is in a stunning location and I can't wait to take pictures there. A&K are both very tall so I will definitely need steps on their wedding day!
When I had suggested using Lough Neagh as the location, I didn't realise that Alex and Kristine actually got engaged at Lough Lomond so it turned out to be a perfectly fitting, romantic spot for them.
Love it when little things like that happen unplanned :)

Getting Married in Northern Ireland Summer Issue

2009-05-27T21:06:00.007+01:00

Here are some pages from our just published summer issue of the magazine. Of course, we haven't really had a summer yet so this shoot went ahead on a very stormy, wet day in April.
The location was Brownlow House in Lurgan which has just recently started taking bookings for weddings. Although the beautiful Lurgan Park is close by, we had to take most of the pictures indoors because of the weather. The model was very professional though and did an amazing job in those dresses even though she was chilled to bone.
We were all very thankful for the hot soup that was served out at half-time!
Thanks also to Emma and Tracey for their organisational skills, assistance and moral support!

The last few weeks have been very busy for the team at GMINI. The mag has been given a complete overhaul. It is jammed full of juicy info for local brides (thanks to our wonderful editorial team) and we in the design department are hoping you all enjoy the new look!

Cover girl: Lucy Evangelista.

Drama & Detail photoshoot. Model: Jordan @ Style Academy, Belfast
I loved, loved, loved, Olivia Muldoon's amazing work on the hair (especially the vintage style with pearls. It almost makes me want to get married again just to have it.)

We also have the exciting launch of Gorgeous Magazine which is featured inside GMINI.
Model: Carrie-Anne @ Alison Campbell Models.
Make up: Clare McKinney,
Hair: Catriona ward @ shane Bennett.

Happy Birthday Caoimhe

2009-05-25T21:21:00.003+01:00

Oh how the time flies.

My Spanish niece is fourteen tomorrow. It doesn't seem that long ago since this picture was taken of her when she was just one. She famously had the loudest cry in the family. We called it the 'spanish wail'. I think Niamh may have claimed that title now though!

Maybe it is because I only see her a few times a year but I can't believe how fast she has grown and how lovely she has become.

Miss you loads and I hope your enjoy day.

Destitute pea pickers in California. Mother of seven children. Age thirty-two. Nipomo, California (LOC)

2009-05-23T14:48:00.009+01:00

Destitute pea pickers in California. Mother of seven children. Age thirty-two. Nipomo, California (LOC), originally uploaded by The Library of Congress.

Sometimes I get to feeling that life is tough, that I'm working too hard, feeling exhausted and unappreciated.
I might be miserable because I don't have the money for that holiday in the South of France we had planned, or new Nikes for the kids. Lets face it, the credit crunch is making us all feel a little bit more sorry for ourselves these days.

When I get those thoughts, I will often remember this very well known image of Florence Thompson who was 32 years old and had seven kids. She lived in 1936, the time of the Great Depression and life really was a struggle. I first saw this iconic image when I was just sixteen, studying American History for my exams. It made a lasting impression on me.

The photograph was taken by Dorethea Lange and this is her report on Florence.

"I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet. I do not remember how I explained my presence or my camera to her, but I do remember she asked me no questions. I made five exposures, working closer and closer from the same direction. I did not ask her name or her history. She told me her age, that she was thirty-two. She said that they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields, and birds that the children killed. She had just sold the tires from her car to buy food. There she sat in that lean- to tent with her children huddled around her, and seemed to know that my pictures might help her, and so she helped me. There was a sort of equality about it." (From: Popular Photography, Feb. 1960).

Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-USF34-9058-C]

We have so much to be thankful for.

Alfie

2009-05-22T01:53:00.003+01:00

Little Alfie has just turned one.
Last Sunday I went to Alfie's house to take some pictures for his mum and dad to mark the occasion. I had seen some beautiful pictures of him when he was just a little baby but I was totally unprepared for just how 'heartstoppingly-gorgeous' and charming this little man has become.
Many, many pictures of Alfie were taken - too many which were ridiculously hard to edit out. Therefore this blog is very long.

Here are 10 things to love about Alfie.

1. His eyes are the darkest chocolate I have ever seen
2. When he hears music or songs his little hips wiggle from side-to-side
3. He absolutely loves balls of all kinds and will sit contently in his ball pool for ages (why can't this happen in our house?)
4. It is freaky how well he spins a soccer ball for a one-year-old. Dad is very happy about this of course, but he will have to leave home early if he ever decides to play for any premier league team other than Liverpool
5. I think he likes peppa pig... but this may be out of a sense of duty, because rumour had it, he liked peppa pig and everyone decided to buy him lots of
peppa pig stuff.
6. His honey blonde hair
7. His caramel skin
8. He doesn't mind photographers and will happily pose in all sorts of places without any complaint
9. His from-the-belly, thigh-slapping laughing fits
10. He doesn't mind sharing chocolate cake with photographers either.

Happy Birthday Alfie.

Demi

2009-05-14T00:36:00.008+01:00

I'm really beginning to have a soft spot for photographing newborns.

Last Saturday I had a wonderful photoshoot with little Demi who was only two weeks old. She is absolute perfection. After she had a big feed she nodded off in no time and was happy enough to snuggle, snooze and let me snap away. I couldn't get enough of her tiny feet and gorgeous head of black hair.

This is Demi's big brother and I can tell he is already besotted with her.

I couldn't stop taking pictures of her furry, little head :)

I really liked this one of Carrie and Demi together.

Thank-you Carrie for letting me capture her at this precious stage in life.
I really enjoyed myself!

If you are interested in a really special gift for a friend or family member who is just about to have a baby, Newborn photography gift vouchers are available. Sessions are valued at £55 and you can spend extra to put towards prints, frames or portrait books. Contact me to find out more or book. Availability is limited.

Dermot & Fiona

2009-05-10T22:26:00.002+01:00

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of shooting Dermot and Fiona's engagement session. They don't want alot of fuss and just want to capture their day as it unfolds in a relaxed and natural way - which I also love doing! Their Wedding is coming up in July and I know its going to be so much fun. Fiona and I go way back and she is a close friend of our family. Fi enjoyed many a sing-song with the 'Toman clan' years ago! Time flies and I love that photography often brings me back into people's lives again.

And yes - that was Dermot taking a business call in the middle of his engagement session, always on the clock!

Looking forward to the big day guys!

Some more family snaps

2009-05-03T20:54:00.004+01:00

I couldn't resist sharing this little moment too.
Its probably because I know how important these 'pearly whites' are to her - she uses them alot, mostly on me!

Niamh really enjoys teeth cleaning and gives them a real good going over, even getting to the hard to reach areas! I think she mostly likes the taste of toothpaste though. She'll get a tiny bit on her brush but there will be loud demands for more 'pace, pace, pace!' when its finished. Then there will be a teeth-clentched refusal to spit it out.
Its always a real battle of wills in there, but still, I can't help laughing at her little, determined face.

My little jumping man

2009-05-02T22:21:00.003+01:00

There is so much mischief in his face these days. Here is my little man doing what he loves best at the moment - jumping.
Lately he is like a little flea jumping here and there until he has completely exhausted himself. His prefered way of getting about the place is to hop to it. This baffles me because if he is asked to walk anywhere or pick up his toys that is much too tiring (today he actually admitting he was too lazy!). So where does the energy come from for all this jumping?

A warning to all parents though. Be careful to get out of the way of their 'conker-hard' heads when close by. I used to do the very same thing when I was his age and consequently had a nasty collision with my mother's nose whilst she was dressing me. She likes remind me to this day of the 'broken nose episode' and the fact that its still a little bent doesn't help either.

Ballydougan Revisited

2009-04-30T23:22:00.005+01:00

Very recently I had the pleasure of visiting one of my favourite places again to take some photos. If you remember back last year I had a portrait shoot with Ciara
This time round I photographed some of the other members of the team practising their skills. I really wanted to capture all that was involved in the making of the pottery and a little of the character of the place. The tradition of clay throwing fascinates me - and they make it look so natural and easy. Here are some images from the series.

Ballydougan Pottery is a pretty special place. The pottery is made on site and then wonderful food is served up on it in the restaurant. There are also beautiful, little cottages where visitors can stay.
The place has been getting major works done recently and it now looks even better than ever. I couldn't get shots of the exterior, because of the renovations, but I'm hoping to go back soon and do a full series of images on all that Ballydougan Pottery has to offer.

Police Academy Five!

2009-04-26T21:23:00.002+01:00

I had the best time in ages last night when a few of us girls headed out to an American-themed fancy dress party dressed as NYPD cops.
We absolutely loved these costumes and if any brides-to-be are thinking of ideas for hen nights try this - it was soooo much fun!
The party was in aid of Down Syndrome, people made a fantastic effort and alot of money was raised.
Fav part of the night - kicking Mr. T's butt!

L-R Noirin, Cate, Jackie, Me and Tracey.

Needless to say, this cop will be in bed early tonight.

My new friend

2009-04-26T17:43:00.004+01:00

I've definitely worked my 'nifty fifty' to the bone this past year so I decided to treat myself to a nice bit of new glass.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L

I'm in love and I might never take it off the camera again!

We are family

2009-04-21T00:22:00.004+01:00

On Thursday I got to photograph little Beth again - and this time she had company.
If you remember I photographed her when she was about nine months old. She just gets even more gorgeous every time I see her!
Beth had her family visiting from America so we had a family shoot. Beth's cousin's, Ellie and Ryan were so full of energy - and constantly on the move! Ryan told me all about Spiderman and showed me his great collection of books and I got to hear Ellie's lovely singing too! I really enjoyed myself and here are a selection of pics from the shoot.

Just loving being a princess.

Ryan was committed to getting his photos right and managed to keep smiling even when Beth tried to pull his eyeball out :)

Yes, her eyes are naturally this beautiful...

Show it off!

2009-04-17T21:26:00.005+01:00

For those customers who aren't aware of the many ways of presenting photos from their sessions, I have included a postcard, template sampler here from my 'sugar 'n' spice' set.
You can get designs custom-made by me for postcards, holidays & birthday cards, birth announcements, save-the-date, storybooks, wall art, thank-you cards, invites and just about anything else you might have in mind!

Print & design prices are available upon request.

Martha

2009-04-11T16:41:00.008+01:00

Just before we sign off for a few days holidays I just wanted share this lovely Easter-themed photo session with little Martha who was absolutely lovely for me.

She was such good fun and loved showing me her beautiful toys. I don't always get to photograph three generations all at once - but gran, mum and daughter all got snapped.

Making faces at Daddy :)

Thank-you Jane for letting me photograph her. Such a wee sweetie!

Enjoy the holidays everyone.

Happiness is...

2009-04-05T00:00:00.002+01:00

A Rich Tea biscuit.

Seven days of sweetness

2009-03-28T23:03:00.009Z

I could photograph newborns forever.

This is my second newborn shoot. I was very excited to get the opportunity to photograph little Dan. He was so perfect in every way - as only newborns can be. Dan weighed in at 10lb 13oz's when he arrived into the world. I'm smiling as I write this because obviously he really didn't care too much for having his picture taken and didn't know what all the fuss was about. I had to be quick and he was awake most of the time. He just wanted to snuggle in with mummy (a much better option of course) but he gave me my five minutes and chilled out on the bean bag while I snapped away at his perfect little feet, hands, head, ... I could go on. He put his foot down at being moved about - that wasn't going to happen.
Broody fix over... for now.

These photos are pretty much straight out of camera - except for the black and white conversions.

You've got one minute left lady...

Thank-you Sinead for letting me photograph him.

Clairissa & Rebecca

2009-03-28T21:39:00.004Z

Well I'm back and I'm soooo behind.
This week has been pretty busy so I've a bit of catching up to do with the blog posts.
Its good to be spending more time outside with the camera so no complaints there. I've had the pleasure of meeting lots of new people this week including one little man who was only seven days old - but more on that later.
The week started off last Saturday morning when Clairissa (who has appeared on my blog recently) introduced me to her little sister Rebecca (cute as a button). Saturday was bright and dry - yeah!! I have been really lucky with the weather lately so I'm really hoping my luck stays with me for the next two weeks because I've loads of outdoor shoots. I'm checking the weather now more often than the local farmers.
Rebecca had lots of fun and we managed to squeeze in swings, slides, flower-picking, running, chasing, dressing up - phew! Two-year olds can really keep you on your toes.

Here are some of their pics.

I recently purchased a beautiful pettiskirt for 'little girl shoots' which Rebecca had no problems modelling for me...

Daddies girls

Although they make you work hard at this age, they are so much fun :)

I don't know why I didn't include this one in my last post. I love it.

Stevie & Leanne

2009-03-17T15:16:00.007Z

I'm supposed to be on holiday today but I really wanted to post Stevie and Leanne's engagement shoot photos before I head out.

Gorgeous morning, gorgeous location, gorgeous people - what more could a photographer ask for.
It was a real joy to photograph this session and I had a feeling it would be.
Leanne and Stevie were so warm, relaxed and happy in each others company there was little I had to do but shoot. It helps these sessions when couples totally trust their photographer and just go with it. There were so many great photos in the end I found it hard to edit them so this is quite a long post! I won't say much more because I hope that the pictures speak for themselves. I'll be shooting their Wedding in June and I can't wait.

I am constantly inspired by Denise Bovee (among many others) and I'm stealing inspiration from her on some of my editing choices here. Thanks Denise.

When not taking pictures of kids and sculptures...

2009-03-05T21:27:00.005Z

I'm chilling out a little this week after after being completely snowed under in design and photography for the last while.
Getting Married in Northern Ireland's Spring edition has finally reached the shelves and I thought I'd post just a snippet of the photoshoots and design layouts that keep me so busy. There may be a few juicy treats for brides-to-be here also. Look out for the upcoming 'Getting Married Show' which will be happening in June!

I loved finding the front cover on the shelf in the local newsagents -
it was just as exciting this time round!
Our model was Zara from Alison Campbell Model Agency, Belfast.

The location for the 'Maid in the Manor' bridesmaid shoot was Parkanaur, County Tyrone and the model was the lovely Lisa.

And the full shot of that cover dress,
available from Reflection Bridal Studio, Belfast...

Zara really suited this dress. The arch behind her is actually the frame of a large mirror which is showing what is in front of the model - including me! I had to position myself exactly in front of her so I wouldn't appear in mirror. Luckily it worked and I didn't need to photoshop myself out afterwards. I love the light from the windows in the grand room of this very old manor house, (Dating back to the 1600s).
We are lucky to have some great locations for weddings and photoshoots not too far away in Northern Ireland. Pity its always raining though!

And all sorts of other 'weddingy' stuff...

I love Kozo's stationery :)

We also used one of the images from the shoot for the new Getting Married show material and branding.
Wonderful design here by Jo, our Creative director.

FE McWilliam Gallery & Studio

2009-02-28T22:13:00.012Z

Recently I was delighted and honoured to be asked by the Banbridge District Council to photograph the collected works of acclaimed sculptor, FE McWilliam. The sculptures and drawings are currently on display at the recently opened, state-of-the-art, FE McWilliam Gallery in Banbridge, Co. Down.
For those of you who haven't heard of him, McWilliam, who was born in Banbridge, is Ireland's most significant sculptor of the 20th century and to date his work has never been seen in such a large, single exhibition.
I was completely amazed and speechless at the sheer volume of work this man produced in one lifetime, so much passion and talent. He must never have slept! Can I just state that there will be no more complaints from me about staying up late at night to edit photos again!

Most of these pieces are soon to be returned to private owners and major contributors such as The Tate so if you haven't already visited, and you are in the area, it is definitely worth a visit.

I have included a photograph of my favourite piece above and its part of The Leg series.

This reminds me why I love my job.

2009-02-27T16:19:00.002Z

This little snippet is doing the rounds at the moment so thought I would share.
Its excellent advertising of course but also very enjoyable so sit back and watch.

Happiness is...

2009-02-22T22:36:00.002Z

Niamh loves the bath. Its her favourite thing just sitting splashing and playing in the bubbles. She looks so sweet and innocent in there - like a little angel sitting in white fluffy clouds.

If you believe this to be the whole truth then I obviously haven't presented the full picture of my littlest one. She is definitely trouble and 10 minutes after the pictures above were taken my kitchen floor became 'spaghetti junction'...

I cannot leave her for a second. She loves emptying cupboards. Clothes, underwear, plates, cups, food, toys, books - everything ends up on the floor.
You do have to become really laid back and a little less house-fussy as a parent or else you'll just become a big stress bubble. You have to laugh at them - its better than crying about the mess.

And they are soooo cute!

Clairissa & Erin

2009-02-22T13:57:00.004Z

I don't think you ever forget the friendships you have in your teens and it was lovely to be able to capture a little bit of this when I photographed Clairissa and Erin.
Lots of Erin's friends from school have seen her photographs here on my blog and apparently this has caused quite a bit of interest. So Clairissa was excited to get a few pictures taken last Saturday. She was very natural, has a great smile and the girls had a lot of fun together. I hope you like them Clairissa.

Megan & Eva

2009-02-15T22:33:00.006Z

Yesterday I got to take pictures of two little sweethearts called Megan and Eva. It is always exciting to go and meet new kids and I never know what to expect or how they might behave. There weren't any problems here though - Megan and Eva loved posing for the camera. They were both unbelievably adorable. You can tell from the photos they are close sisters and love each other to bits. They definitely have their own personalities. Megan is the quiet, sensible one and Eva is just bubbling over with energy and loves mischief - like most three year olds!

Eva is so cute. She was completely fascinated with my camera and had to get pressing all the buttons. I had to be very quick with this one because she didn't stay still for a second :)

This is Megan, Eva's big sister...

Here they are together. I love the big squeezie hug here!

Sarah thanks for letting me photograph them, it was so much fun and I had a good giggle going through these photos!

Beginners welcome

2009-02-08T20:19:00.004Z

For those who have a camera and don't know what to do with it a beginner's digital photography class will be commencing in Cullyhanna, County Armagh on Tuesday night (10 February 7-9pm). I will be tutoring this 5 week class and its really basic stuff - getting to know your camera, settings, light, composition tips, focusing correctly etc. There will also be an introduction to photoshop where you can pick up tips from me on how to enhance your photos and really make them pop. Contact the Southern Regional College or myself if you are interested in these beginners workshops and would like to attend.

Niamh meets the white stuff

2009-02-08T20:04:00.004Z

Niamh experienced the snow for the first time today. It was only a little dusting across our garden but enough to have her completely enchanted. I'm glad we went out in it because it was gone by the afternoon. If only we could have had this in December I might have got a nice Christmas Card out of it!

blog neglect

2009-02-07T19:14:00.005Z

I have been told off for not blogging often enough so I have about five minutes to post something here before putting the kids in the bath.

Getting Married in Northern Ireland Magazine is nearing deadline (Yeah!) so its been all hands on deck. As always I've been taking pictures of all sorts this week for the purposes of the magazine - rings, buttonholes, limousines, tiaras and on exhausting weeks like this I tend to leave the camera in the bag when I get home.
Of course I'm looking forward to the portrait shoots happening next week. They're great to get back to after the madness of magazine production!

Its been seriously freezing this week. We are still feeling winter here in February. Right now its about -3 outside. Its a double-hotwater bottle night. The only sign of Spring coming was the little plant on my window which decided to flower. I find it wonderfully therapeutic to photograph flowers and definitely brightened my Saturday morning.

Thank-you Sarah for the little surprise bulb in a pot.
What a beauty she turned out to be.

My new baby

2009-02-01T23:13:00.012Z

I was very excited to receive a big box from the postman containing my new 40d.
The only thing is in the same week I think I've lost my phojo!

Using the new camera worried me a bit. I didn't want the results to be disappointing so I held off and just kept taking it out of the box and looking at it.
I even took some pictures of it and flicked through the manual. Its alot bigger than my little camera and more masculine. It eyed me from the shelf challenging me to do my worst.

The thing is I loved my 400d and was quite sad to take the card and batteries out of it and place it snugly in the bottom of my shootsac until such times as the 40d lets me down. Without the 400d I never would have realised that photos can look much better with the flash turned off. It has served me well and us photographers do get kind of attached to our gear.

Anyway I decided to take a picture with the new guy. And you know what? Nothing earth-shattering happened. It is a better camera for various reasons but I'm still the same photographer. I'll still have to work on all the things that were important before - framing, focusing, creativity, light and so on.

Here is a simple shot of Niamh with the 40d. Just playing it safe for now.
She did look really cute though...

Also I was watching Senan this morning and realised just how hardworking three year olds are.
They love to be given jobs to do. Senan loves watching me cooking and helps wash the vegetables. Three years old love to get their hands dirty. Thats why playdoh is a really big hit. I've got to keep finding jobs for him. You don't want to let them get bored at this age - then there is big trouble. For example, recently when bored my little helper decided it would be a good idea to colour in mum's lovely, white computer keyboard black - with a permanent marker! He has also been helping me deliver frames to customers. This is great because he gets sweets from everyone we visit.

Anyway we're really looking forward to planting seeds soon. Its starting to get lighter in the evening and Spring is on its way!

I also hope my phojo comes back soon. I miss it.

Jake

2009-01-24T21:42:00.006Z

This week has been seriously busy and I'm getting to the point where I'm too busy taking pictures to blog about them!
The thing is, the blog is always the last thing on the list of things to do so it usually gets updated at the very, very end of the week.
But I really wanted to get some of my favourite photos up here of gorgeous, little Jake who had his photoshoot with me last Saturday.
I never get tired of taking pictures of the little ones and Jake was no exception - could you get any more chubby cuteness into one little man? Such a bright, alert face too. He watched with mild amusement my daft antics behind the camera but the footie was on the TV behind me and that turned out to be much more entertaining. I've realised that this trait in the male species begins at a very early age!

Lovin the teething drool here...

This could be my favourite ever baby shot...

And this one for daddy... So sorry I kept mentioning Liverpool.

Luke

2009-01-17T00:42:00.006Z

If you remember a while back I had a photoshoot with Conal, Carla and Luke who are all cousins. Well, little Luke just wasn't up for it that particular day but he sure made up for it on Sunday past. What a happy, laid back, sweet little man. I've known Luke since he was about two days old. He couldn't wait to be born so decided to make an early appearance. He is just a little bit younger than my Niamh. When they were a couple of months old Luke would visit and sit contently in his car seat chilling whilst Niamh screamed the house down! His mum assures me he has his moments too but this is the Luke I know...

Playing with the 'Ninky Nonk' and the shoes are so funny:)

Such a cool dude and look at those amazing blue eyes...

They all dig the furry blanket!

I really love this set. It was Mum getting all these giggles!

He has so many expressions. The one on the left is saying 'Alright are we done here?'

Loved this shoot. I can't wait to have another go when he up and running about.

Blogging break over now

2009-01-13T00:08:00.007Z

Refreshed from my break I'm feeling inspired and experimental!

Just thought I would post a few photos taken today of the little ones. Niamh is trying out her feet alot but still returns to her knees every now and then. Also wanted to take pictures of her modelling this gorgeous skirt! So cute for photoshoots!

My blue-eyed boy...
Senan is on his best behaviour lately and feeling so much better - long may it continue!

So full of mischief...
She will pull all the washing out of the basket and then run and hide under the kitchen table waiting for me to come and tell her off. Being naughty is just so much fun!

And this last picture is just me feeling creative and I really thought the style suited the vintage treatment. She was looking at pictures of herself in the little Storybook. I want all these photos large on canvas but wall space is going to be a problem soon!

Note: No children were harmed in the making of this image - Daddy was close at hand!

More to come soon.

Time to breathe

2009-01-11T20:09:00.008Z

If you wondering about the absence of any blog posts last week its because every now and then I like to switch off the computer and do other things.

Other things like long walks. The camera has been left in the bag at home for a change. Sometimes you need to experience things that can't be captured in pictures - the smell of cold, earthy fields, frozen air, Turner skys thick with snow and winds that wake the mind and soul from a dreary, winter slumber spent indoors. Of course there were sights to photograph but those will remain framed in my head and thats enough sometimes.

I've been enjoying the company of my children alot too. They won't be at this wonderful stage forever and its great to just be silly, dance, sing and cuddle with them. We're really into 'The Wiggles' at the moment.

I'm also reading one of the books Santa brought. It's the latest from Annie Leibovitz and I really recommend it to all. Her collected work is amazing and she has some great stories to tell about the people she has met on her photographic journey.

I've had the time to watch a few movies such as 'The Other Boleyn Girl' I'm a big fan of Phillippa Gregory and have read most of her books. The film didn't cut it for me as far as the characters were concerned but I really enjoyed the cinematography and the costumes.

Also watched 'PS I Love You' and cried alot. In fact I was blubbering like an X-factor contestant.
A lovely, sweet, romantic story with lots of funny Irish humour and great music. I'm probably the last person to see this as I never get to the cinema these days and watched it on the box instead.
Note to American women. I haven't seen too many 'Gerry Kennedy types' when out walking the Irish country lanes. If there were, the roads would be over-run with female power walkers of all ages and we would save a fortune on 'Go Walking' health campaigns! You are more likely to find some old fella walking a shaggy, mongrel more ancient than he is... or a great, big, stout, balding farmer in stinking wellies piling up the road with 30 cows in tow shouting obscenities at them. But you never know - there is always the dream. Of course, not that I will be worrying about it, being happily married and all.

P.S. I Love You - Click here for more amazing videos

Anyway, I had a lovely photoshoot today so I'll be posting on that pretty soon.
But for now, back to that book...

Teenagers and hoodies - not always a bad combination!

2009-01-04T15:44:00.013Z

Sometimes a simple item of colourful clothing can really make a photograph.

Erin, who often models for me, was wearing a 'hooded sweatshirt' here and I liked the way it brought out the green in her eyes. The hood also acted as a strong frame for her face. I'm always inspired to photograph a good subject, beautiful light and wonderful colours.

The model was placed near to a window and I got between her and that available light source. The window was north-facing which always works best for soft light and illuminates the skin wonderfully plus you don't have the problems of harsh sunlight interference.
In Winter the light is not as strong so you have the option of using a tripod, using a higher ISO setting or a faster lens. I like the freedom of being hand-held so I boosted the ISO to 1600 (be careful of the noise in the shadows when doing this). The lens used here was 50mm with a aperture setting of f2. This allowed me to shoot at a fast shutter speed of 0.005 sec (1/200) to eliminate the problem of camera-shake.
The focus is on the nearest eye here and I wanted to get really good sharpness on that and let the rest fall into softness which is also a good reason to use a wide aperture setting.

Sometimes I'll use my light meter to find the right exposure and at other times the in-camera spot metering does a good enough job of it. I mostly shoot in AV and manual modes.
In photoshop I decided to crop to a square format on this and just boost the image a little using saturation and curves layers. Not too much tweaking needed really. I try to get it right in-camera when possible as it means less work sitting in front of the computer!

Hope this basic information has helped some of you who are just starting out.
Please feel free to comment if this has been useful to you.

For Eva

2009-01-03T00:28:00.005Z

I have been enjoying the company of my relatives who are visiting from Spain over the Christmas holidays. They will be returning home soon and I thought this would be a good time to post some pictures of them for their mum who couldn't make it this year. We had a lot of fun and hopefully the next time I see them I'll be on Spanish soil!

My lovely niece Caoimhe. I can't believe how much she changes every time I see her.

And her younger brother Conor who, I think, has his Dad's frown...

Two of my lovely neices...

Erin, Ryan and Caoimhe
The difference between boys and girls in front of the camera is like the difference between night and day...

Thats all for now but I'll probably be snapping again tommorrow!

Hungry little angels

2008-12-30T20:07:00.011Z

Christmas didn't exactly turn out as planned in our house not that it ever goes as planned. The kids and the hubbie are just starting to get over the worst of a really bad virus going around this place. Everyone in the extended family circle sniffled, whinged, spluttered and coughed their way through the festivities.

Santa still made it though. On Christmas morning it finally did sink in with Senan that the bearded one really does leave presents under the tree if you are a good boy all year and judging by the chirpy little noises Niamh was making I think she was delighted also.
The big turkey dinner wasn't cancelled either, the best one so far I think. Jamie Oliver gave me tips last year on Christmas Eve and this time I listened to Gary Rhodes - lots of basting. It was a lovely big, juicy bird so thanks Gary. I cooked it upside down by mistake and I will be doing that from now on. Unfortunately neither Dessie or Senan could eat any of it because of the sickness. That left me and Niamh to eat their share and all the Christmas pudding, cadburys sweets, after-eights, teacakes, and shloer in the house...oh not forgetting the mince pies and milk left out for Santa too (sorry kids!). Niamh seems to have inherited my ability for eating even when your not feeling well. I think my husband has lost a few pounds and I have gained some!

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and today I have spent some time going through my photo sets from 2008, shedding a tear or two at some of the moments captured with the kids.
It's been a great year for me and a big year in self-discovery. This time last year I didn't even own a camera and now I can't imagine ever being without one. It really has opened up a whole new world and I'm excited about what the new year will bring - lets hope some new gear!

I want to say thank-you to those who have allowed me to come into their world and trusted me to photograph their loves and lives in my own way.
It truly is the most amazing privilege in the world and I wish you all the best for 2009.

I'm closing 2008 with one of my fav photos from the year. It's from the 'hungry little angels' series and its been chosen just because it makes me giggle and feel kinda warm inside which is a good enough reason to like a photograph!

Happy New Year to you all.

Longing for Sunshine

2008-12-29T20:24:00.002Z

I've not too many photos to post this last while. We have all been confined to indoors with flu and chest infections. The days are short and its a bitterly cold winter. The little ones have had fevers and I'm just putting all my energy into getting everyone well again. We are longing for sunshine and warmer days.

Hope you have all been enjoying the holidays and are looking forward to 2009.

Girls just wanna have fun

2008-12-21T22:51:00.013Z

Niamh's hair is finally starting to grow but it I'm not sure in which direction.
For a while she has been sporting the early 90's 'Fraser Crane look' - long at the back with very little on top but at least we are getting past that look now.
Yesterday Senan and Niamh decided it would be a good idea to lather barrier cream in her hair, about half a tub, which is almost impossible to wash out because of its waterproof nature. So today was definitely a bad hair day but at least it gave me an opportunity to try on another cute woolly beanie hat!

She has recently began to take a few tentative steps on her own but all the encouragement in the world will not convince her that this is the best way to travel. She falls to her knees at any given opportunity to continue with her knee-walking which is hilarious to watch as its at full speed around the lounge after her big brother. For this reason I recently purchased the cosy leg warmers and I'm seriously thinking of a pair of knee-pads soon!

Sometimes Niamh really does have her Dad's expressions and anyone who knows my husband will see it in this next pic...

I love the magical bokeh effects of the Christmas tree lights.
So sparkly and fun...

I have watched Nigella's Lawson's Christmas Kitchen three times this week.
It really is a feast for the eyes. I so enjoy watching her cook up festive treats and the wonderfully, descriptive language she uses would leave Victoria Beckham salivating at the mouth! But also from a photographer's point of view it is a joy to behold. The dof is excellent and the use of frontal elements to frame the subject is perfect - you feel like you've been invited into the room, not to mention the Christmas lights creating the sparkling bokeh all around her - it truly is magical and worth watching.
But to bring us all back down to earth with a thud just a few things.
No. 1: Most of the ingredients on Nigella's shopping list are not something I'll be popping down to the local Tesco's for and our Christmas dinner will probably be more comparable to the Royale's!
No. 2: Doing a cookery show in a red, satin nightgown is questionable for various reasons I won't mention here, and lastly,
No. 3: Getting up in the middle of the night to gorge on turkey sandwiches and what not... well different show, different channel we could be talking about the nation's problem with over-eating.
But even with those negatives, I like the fact that Nigella enjoys life, doesn't mind the camera shooting from behind, and isn't afraid to show the world she loves her grub.
You rock Nigella!

hallelujah

2008-12-20T11:07:00.009Z

I'm feeling a little post-xfactor trauma today. What will the nation to do? God forbid we might actually have to start going out and socialising again on Saturday nights!

It was great to see Alex win as she was one of the strongest contestants throughout but I was really dissappointed that they chose the great Cohen classic to be her song release. It's definitely a sneaky move for the producers of the show. They really should have left it alone. No one can top Jeff Buckley's beautiful heart-wrenching cover of this song in 1994. The only winners here are Simon Cowell and Sony Records as they have re-released this version also - the cheek!

Amen.

Note: I had to amend the title to this post! I really do need to learn to check my spelling before I publish my posts!
Just as well there is no one reading my blog anyway:(

Merry Christmas Baby!

2008-12-19T14:05:00.004Z

In the spirit of Christmas and the celebration of new birth I have a very special festive gift to offer.

If you are pregnant or know of anyone who has a little one due or maybe just about to arrive I am offering a FREE 'newborn session' to this one lucky Christmas baby!.
This entitles parents to a full one hour session at their home or mine, all processing, editing, and enhancement of images, an online web gallery of images to browse through and select your favourites from the session. All you have to do is decide which ones to frame!

The lucky winner will be the first person to contact me either by email or phone from the moment this post goes live.
Preferably babies should be under two weeks old for this kind of session. Newborn session information will be emailed. For those living within a 15 mile radius of Portadown/Lurgan area mileage will not be charged. Obviously if you live further there will be photographer's travel expenses incurred.

Good luck and Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas trees and Gingerbread men

2008-12-16T00:59:00.002Z

Neither of these stand a chance when Niamh is about.

So funny... She just can't stay away from that tree.
I knew this was going to happen and she knows I'm not happy about this activity because I get the sweetest, most innocent smile just as another bauble bites the dust!
Note how bare the bottom of my tree looks - all the decorations and lights have been moved to the top.

My two

2008-12-16T00:15:00.008Z

Too close to Christmas now for blogging but here's a quick update.

My problem with this time of year is not the amount of preparation needed for the coming of Christmas or the stress it puts on our wallets, or the queue at the tills but it's the lack of daylight and the fact it's practically night time 24 hours a day. It ain't good for the soul. The only comfort is the open fire in the hearth and the abundance of Christmas lights all around. On Friday I had to cancel a portrait session because I just didn't have enough of that lovely light and that makes me miserable. So on Saturday my trigger finger was still itchy and there was a lovely but brief blink of sun - yippee!. I don't like to snap my kids constantly but realising they haven't been annoyed by me and my camera in a while we had our own little shoot. I think for the first time I've actually got a cute cuddling shot where Niamh doesn't look like she is being wrestled to the ground by Senan! They love each other to bits but like all big brothers he is very protective of her in so far as he is the only one who is allowed to give her a hard time.

Senan and Niamh are already showing very different personalities. He is the shy, quiet type whereas she is really jolly, outgoing and loves a good laugh...

Thoughtful, intense, shy, generous, scruffy, affectionate, grumpy, laid-back, warm-hearted, messy, happy, curious, intelligent, quiet, sensitive, and totally adored...

Sometimes I love to study his little face when he is asleep or engrossed in something and completely unaware of me.
I'll be thinking "Look at his little blonde furry eyebrows and how is eyelashes are fair but dark at the tips."
Surely all mums do this.

Emma

2008-12-07T21:08:00.007Z

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing little Emma who is all of 15 months. She was such a wee sweetheart and was not the slightest bit bothered by the camera. We had lots of beautiful spots in her own home in which to take pictures too but she particularly liked the feel of my furry throw! I loved Emma's beautiful dresses and all her cuddly toys. I think she enjoyed herself too as she got to jump on all the beds and do plenty of chatting and tumbling about.

'Where's the camera ?' Fun pointing games:)

A kiss and cuddle from mum.

The longest, darkest eyelashes I have ever seen...

Emma was showing me some of her cuddly friends. She really knew her farm animals and it was so funny hearing her make all their sounds too!

Conal, Carla and Luke

2008-12-05T23:13:00.006Z

Another quick post on a recent session with three adorable kids.
This one didn't go quite as planned! It was an indoor shoot but the light just wasn't available. As soon as I arrived the dark clouds rolled in and thunder and lightning started. On top of this little Luke just wasn't in the mood for a photoshoot and there was no shifting him on this decision.
I did still manage to get some nice shots of Carla and Conal who are brother and sister. In fact Conal was having a blast and really rocked his session.
Don't worry Luke - I'll come back another day when your up for it.
I have a few more sessions to blog soon but I'm still working on them at the moment.
Its that time of year again! In between photographs I'm trying to get some Christmas Shopping done and other preparations for Santa coming!

Isn't Carla adorable with that beautiful jet black hair which she has had since the day she was born!

Making the Cover

2008-11-25T22:04:00.007Z

I'm sooooo excited I could burst!!

Getting Married in Northern Ireland's Winter edition is now out on the shelves and I'm very happy and pleased to say that the cover was photographed by yours truly!.

I've worked on the magazine as senior designer for a few years now but this was my first ever fashion/commercial shoot from behind the camera so needless to say I was a little apprehensive about it.

We shot on location at a castle in Co. Tyrone. I thought the weather was going to get the better of us when we headed out. It was raining heavy, windy and bitterly cold in typical Irish fashion. Our model had welly boots on under the wedding dress. lol! Luckily enough there were lots of hidden archways and windows in the ruins so we could get the shots needed.

We wanted a vintage, romantic theme with a bit of a dark, gothic twist. Emma (our ed) did a wonderful job on the styling for the shoot sourcing an antique cameo pendant, a vintage hairpiece, and a wonderful sequined bodiced dress in creamy/chocolate tones which went wonderfully with the models colouring and frame. She also spotted the perfect girl for the shoot. Caroline Davis of Style Academy, Belfast has that elegant, timeless beauty with wonderful bone structure, steely blue eyes, porcelain skin and dark hair. Lucky for me she was an absolute professional and knew exactly what mood we were hoping for, how to be creative and how to work it. She must have been freezing in that dress but I didn't see her even shiver once! The styling on hair and make-up (especially those lashes!) was amazing too.

The canon 400d was used with the old faithful 50mm f1.8 attached for most of this shoot. I used natural light with a silver reflector to bounce some of that light back onto the model and add luminosity to the skin.

It was both challenging and thrilling to work with all these talented people and see it all come together so well in the end. I didn't mind walking into the newsagents and seeing that my magazine cover siting up proudly with all the others either!

The final cover choice.

Behind the scenes snippets.
The girls work fast to perfect the elaborate hair and makeup.

Priceless...
The look on the shop assistant's face in a dungannon grocery store when Caroline walked in with big raincoat, tracksuit bottoms tucked into a pair of giant wellies, still sporting full hair and make-up from the shoot! :)

Beth

2008-11-23T23:25:00.004Z

Last week I photographed little Beth. She was so wonderful and so sweet. From the moment I started shooting she just giggled, squealed, rolled about, posed and there wasn't one tear or tantrum. I could tell the 'Baby Yoga' was definitely working! Such a happy, adorable little angel. Editing these photos really pulled on my heartstrings as it doesn't seem so long ago that my little Niamh was this age and now she starting to take her first steps as a toddler. Doesn't time fly and isn't it wonderful to be able to capture this stage in a set of photographs to treasure forever.

Beth + woolly hat = extreme cuteness!

The most beautiful blue eyes...

Lexie

2008-11-18T13:56:00.006Z

I really love my job. It's wonderful to be able to spend the beautiful, crisp Autumn afternoons taking photographs of great kids. Lexie was so much fun and did alot of chatting about things... High School Musical, kittens, tooth fairies, ballet, x-factor, Hannah Montana, karate kicks - all this while running around in circles at full speed. Its a busy life when your six! She was absolutely adorable and I had a hard time choosing which pictures to post here.

This little pout is so funny. It kept appearing when she remembered the camera.
Watching a little too much 'America's Next Top Model'?

I love the light and colours at this time of year.
If you catch it right in late afternoon, just before sunset, its magical...

We were playing hide and seek...

...and squirrel hunting.

This is kitty - he is Siamese, my favourite!

I promised this photo of me and Lexie would be on the blog as there were complaints about me never coming out from behind the camera.
Believe me - its better that way!

Lexie has been keeping the tooth fairy very busy lately.
There's another shaky one at the bottom...

With mum - a set of lovely smiles!

This is my favourite set. She's just lovin life!

Some of the gear I use...

2008-11-14T22:33:00.016Z

I'm definitely a Canon Girl!

Canon 40D
Canon 400D
Canon 24-70mm 2.8L
canon 50mm 1.2L
Canon 85mm 1.8
Canon 50mm 1.8
Tamron macro 75-300mm f4-5.6
Canon Speedlite 430ex
Sekonic Flash Master L-358 lightmeter
Various sized reflectors (silver and white)
Lowepro slingshot bag
Shootsac

Post-Processing:
Mac user
Photoshop CS3
Lightroom

phew - finished!

2008-11-14T21:38:00.003Z

Hi folks

Just spent a few hours changing the look of my blog and I'm happy to say that the new look is live and I love it!
I've been putting it off because coding and html is hateful and life is too short.
But it was bothering me for some time. I wanted the images to be the main focus of the blog and there was just too much junk cluttering everything up. This should make for a more enjoyable viewing experience. I can upload larger photos too which is great. Other new features are the extra sections at the top. Photographer's Lounge is just a place where I can post threads on equipment, technique, inspirations, links and resources. Shootsac is the gear that I work with and stuff on my wishlist!
A new header image has been chosen too. Is it just me or does anyone else think Niamh has an old lady expression here? She could easily be discussing the price of heating your home this winter! The face just makes me laugh. On the technical side I think the black background adds a nice contrast to the whole.
Hope you all like it too!

Christmas Gift Offers

2008-11-12T21:50:00.010Z

You probably don't want to hear about Christmas already but it's good to be prepared.
If you are thinking about gift ideas a portrait session for a loved one can be a really special treat. Instead of just throwing your hard-earned cash at something that happens to be trendy this year, why not invest in something which will become even more special to you as the years pass by?

Paula O'Hara Photography Portrait Sessions include:
A photo shoot (approx one hour) at your home or a chosen location. This is truly the best way to capture natural poses, real expressions and true personality - not to mention the amount of fun to be had on the day!

You get to choose from 25-30 photographs of best shots from the day.
An online web-proofing gallery of images for one month following your photography session so you can take your time to choose images for framing or storybooks; and all editing, enhancement and post-processing of digital images.
A set of 6x4 prints for you to keep.
You can then choose the framing or storyboard options that suit you.
(2008 framing pricelist will be made available upon request)

Christmas Special
Portrait Sessions for £65.00
Christmas Gift Vouchers are now available and there is a 15% discount on framing for customers with Gift Vouchers.
Session slots for 2009 are limited so if you are interested get in touch soon!
Tel: 028 38316557 or 07933 775171
Email: administrator@paulaohara.com

Trick or treat?

2008-11-12T21:24:00.012Z

He,he,heeee

Quite a few people emailed me about that spooky halloween blog and one photograph in particular which featured the strange apparition of a child in the background.
That one was kind of left hanging for a while... I know it was an evil thing to do!

I wish there was an eery story to go with this but the strange figure can be explained. We had other children there on the night and this was little Blaithnaid who was dressed as a skeleton. With the slow shutter speed used the camera managed to capture her just as she moved in and out of the frame.
Sorry folks but this isn't one for 'Most haunted Live' and its a pity as we all love a good ghost story with a bit of history attached!

Trick or treat? This time its a trick. But its just a little mischief and it was good fun.
I've a funny feeling that one will come back to haunt me though!

Deadlines looming

2008-11-11T22:53:00.018Z

If your following my blog you will probably be wondering where I have disappeared to lately.
I have been buried neck deep in page make-up for Getting Married in Northern Ireland magazine. There seems to be no end to it and deadline is approaching fast. I think tomorrow should see us nearly there anyway and I'll be glad to get a breather. Its a pretty hefty issue what with the recent readers awards being a main feature.
We did manage to surface from our macs for a little while on Saturday night to enjoy the presentations at the Europa Hotel in Belfast. There were some well deserved winners on the night.
It would be safe to say it was a sucessful night and everyone really enjoyed themselves. The music was supplied by 'Sunshine' and the entertainment by Nuala McKeever - both acts did not dissappoint and we laughed and danced the night away.
And an even bigger joy - everyone at home survived alright without me too. In fact, they all behaved so well for their Dad I should maybe go out more often!

Needless to say on Sunday I was feeling a little rough so Senan and I took ourselves off to one of his 'most favouritist places in the whole world ever' - the local animal farm.
It was freezing but it was so much fun to see his little face when he gets to feed the 'big smelly daddy pig'.

A selection of animal favourites - the pig being the most popular choice.

Better not ask Senan to smile or else you get this face...

Because Why?
I seem to be answering lots of questions about all sorts of things these days.
Typical conversation scenario:
Senan: "The trees are messy and bold Mummy."
Mummy: "Why's that then?"
Senan: "For dropping leabs (leaves) on the ground."
Mummy: "Thats okay. The trees don't keep their leaves in the winter and they are allowed to drop them."
Senan: "Because why?"
Mummy: "Because of the cold and the winter coming soon."
Senan: "because why? The trees would just be weally cold and maybe might need to keep their leabs on to be nice and cosy."
hmmmm, not sure what to say to that one so change course a bit.
Mummy: "Isn't it nice when the snow is on the trees too and in spring they will get lovely, new green leaves instead of old brown ones. Isn't that good too?"
Senan: "Because why?"
Mention of the snow reminds him of something else he needed to ask me.
Senan: "Is the moon a snowball or a button?"
Mummy: "A milk chocolate button maybe."
Senan: "I don't like the moon."
Mummy: "Because why?"

These pictures will always remind me of our little conversations about the leabs in November 2008 when Senan was nearly three.

All Hallows'Eve 2008

2008-11-02T00:22:00.007Z

I just love Halloween! Friday night was no exception. We had excellent weather for a start. Earlier in the week it had been snowing which is very strange for this time of the year. But halloween proved to be a crisp, clear night with stars like distant sparks from the fireworks you could see all around for miles. We live in a rural area so when it gets dark early at this time of the year it gets really dark. I mean pitch black!. It was pretty spooky with ghouls, skeletons, ghosties, dragons and lots of trick or treating!

The adults enjoy it just as much as the kids in our house! We had some scary story telling when the little ones were asleep which left me a little freaked!
Here are some of the pictures from the night. I don't normally take alot of pictures in the dark being a big fan of natural light but it was good fun to just experiment with the camera and I think it would be true to say it produced some eery effects!
Warning: this blog is not for the faint-hearted!

I just love the excitement on children faces at Halloween...

Niamh with Granda...

Her first halloween dressed as a dragon.

Michael was taking pictures also. He got some great ones of the kids twirling sparklers.

Jaffa Cakes - again!

Resident ghouls...

And early man...

Monster attack!

Fun with dad.

Niamh got her big birthday cake too.

I didn't notice the strange appearance of a small unidentified child in the background of the picture until I looked at them on screen. Very freaky!

This picture makes me laugh so much!

Spooky halloween face.

You can get some really strange results with a camera in the dark and some fireworks!
Eh, groovy hat Stephen!

Teenage boys have an unhealthy fascination with fireworks. This little man was not allowed to light them though...

Senan didn't want to miss the fireworks but was afraid to look also...

My older brother is such a big kid!

Normally I have a pumpkin-making competition with my brothers but one of them claims to have hurt his hand and the other was just back from NewYork so I was the only one who entered therefore winning by default - which is just not the same:(

Happy Halloween everyone!