Hi, I’m Brendan, husband to Orla, father of five fantastic kids and owner of one rascal of a dog called Lo-La.
Photographic memories
As a toddler, one of my earliest memories was standing outside my grandmother’s house, being instructed to stay still with my brother and sisters, staring quizzically into blinding sunlight as she pointed a small black box towards us and then clicked a button. Immediately afterwards we were hastily summoned to her to ‘watch the magic’ happen as a small squared piece of white card was ejected out of the device and before our eyes – miraculously transposed our faces onto it. At that instance we had our first experience of a polaroid photograph and shortly thereafter granny was driven to complete distraction by our incessant demands for her to do it again and again, and again…!
Looking back on that incident now, I feel I learned two important things about taking photographs that day –
1: Polaroid pictures were expensive to take again and again and again…Â
2: A photographer can not only watch the magic happen, but capture it…
Developing photography
I have always had an established love for art and creativity. During my teenage years my parents encouraged me to photograph different trips and events I was involved with and over time I gained a greater realisation that there are many variables that go into capturing a memorable photograph: lighting, composition, timing and to a large degree – good fortune. Several years ago I enlisted in a series of professional photography courses to help refine and develop my self-taught techniques. However, what I learned most on the first day of the inaugural course was that despite the newly acquired technical references used by the tutor to explain such things about aperture, depth of field, rule of thirds, exposure bracketing and so on, I had already been practicing many of the advanced strategies of photography through my own experiences; I simply didn’t know what they were called!
Inspiring photography
Over the years I was often in awe of the pioneers of photography who, at the turn of the century created such iconic imagery with the most primitive of cameras and from their artistic endeavours, I honestly believe that the essence of a beautiful photo is little more than expressive vision of a photographer and their ability to conceive the yet visible. Expensive photography equipment can never compensate for a natural ability to frame, compose and capture something with supreme spontaneity, although it could oft times help! And so, on that note, and after a small lifetime of using a selection of recreational styled cameras, I committed to purchasing a range of professional lenses, cameras and studio lighting to pursue my own vision of being a photographer and a capturer of magic…
Inspirational photography
Henry Brook Adams once said that ‘a teacher effects eternity, he never knows where his influence ends.’ For over 20 years I’ve had the privilege of being a teacher and doing my best to positively effect youngsters as they grow and develop through life. During that time I’ve managed to integrate photography into my vocation both as being school photographer as well as organising photography lessons. From the reciprocal influences that pupils in turn have on their teachers, I in turn have come to favourably agree with an associated tagline that was once given to me by a very complimentary pupil when describing my work as: ‘a different class of photography.’
Now that you know a bit more about me, why not get in touch now and let me know something about you and how I can help capture a special photographic experience that you’ll cherish and feel privileged to share with others.