This session was from last Autumn and there is a good reason why I haven’t blogged it until now. All these photos were for a new site and blog! I wanted to make sure it was all live first. I met Sharon through my brother Michael who created the new brand and designed the site. We all worked as a team. I really wish we could do that more often!
I have a very special place in my heart for all things for vintage and retro. Its like, I get to escape from the modern world for a just a little while. Every so often, its great to work as part of a creative team, to do something inspired. So when my friend, Jennifer contacted me and asked me if I wanted to help her update her portfolio, with a vintage-inspired bridal shoot, I was like, “Yep, definitely!!” And then she told me who was involved, and excitement levels rose again!
The girls were amazing and worked so hard on the day. The fantastic, Lynette Ball did the hair, dresses were supplied by Lizzie Agnew, and Ursula Bamford created the stunning headpieces. And of course, Jennifer Ireland, who I love working with, did the make-up. Our two models, Tasha Swan (Red-haired model) and Rebecca Maguire (brunette model) were fantastic, and both brought their own unique qualities to the shoot. There were absolutely freezing winds outside but they were so professional and kept all the shivering for off-camera! Sharon Hay at Innocent Chaos let us borrow all the other little lovelies like the tea sets, the bouquets and jewellery. It made all the difference. The location for the shoot was Parkanaur Manor House in Dungannon. It was atmospheric and the winter light worked perfectly for the era we were trying to recreate.
This was a bit of pure escapism and so much fun! Needless to say, after the shoot, I was back home washing school uniforms – and a million miles from ‘turn of the century’ vintage chic.
If you have a bit of time on your hands, and would like to see the full shoot from the day, click me!
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I’m shooting all kinds of things this week. Its been challenging and fun!
Quicklet are a very successful local property rental company. They are expanding with a new branch in Stranmillis, Belfast and a ‘brand-spanking-new’ website. I took some profile pictures of the team earlier in the week. Look out for Dermot who will be appearing later in the year (Engagement shoot and Wedding in December to Steph!) A big thank-you to Andrew Hanna for allowing us to use this fantastic location at Loughview, Lurgan for the shoot.
Gavin
Dermot
Laura
Linda
And Aine
Best wishes for future success!
I’m only getting to posting this shoot now. It feels like ages ago. Back in January, I shot the Spring bridesmaid photoshoot for ‘Getting Married in Northern Ireland’. This is the second Spring photoshoot I’ve done. Both times it has snowed. Perfect for a winter edition of course! But thats how it goes with location shoots.
In fact, I think I’ve only had two shoots for the magazine where it has been warm and sunny. You’ve got to be up for the challenge and work with it! This kind of shoot is pretty hectic. Hair and makeup get hours. The photographer gets minutes. When you have 8-11 dresses to shoot, one model and a limited amount of daylight hours, the pressure is on! Each dress takes about 5 -10 minutes to shoot before the model starts to turn blue. And they are pretty good at pretending not to be cold!
Shot on location at The Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown. Hair and makeup by O Two Hair and beauty, Cookstown. Model: Chantelle Derrick, Pose Models, Belfast. Assisting: Editor, Claire Martin and Tracey Moore, Getting Married in Northen Ireland Magazine. If you would love to find out more about the bridesmaid dresses featured, email me: info@paulaohara.com
BTW: Claire is not just the editor of Getting Married in Northern Ireland. She also has a very fabulous blog of her own. Very informative for mums and m2bs. Check out mumunplugged.
I really enjoyed shooting this exhibition. It was like art therapy for me. Don’t get me wrong, I am primarily a people photographer and will always remain so. But there is a real psychological element to portraiture and you have to work at making that connection to really get the shots. Therefore, I am much more mentally exhausted after shooting people (with my camera!). In contrast, photographing art is a quiet and solitary process of moving around the works, watching the light and finding the best angle, all in your own sweet time. No rushing, no worrying that your subject might be getting bored, just enjoying the textures, the colours, the shapes and form and all the wealth of creative talent in one room. It does help if you have an interest in art and design. At one stage in art college I quite fancied that I would become a potter – and no, it has nothing to do with Patrick Swayze in ghost! I just really liked the simplicity of working with clay, creating something wonderful from a lump of nothing. In fact, during my pregnancy with Niamh, I had cravings to make clay pots, lots and lots of pots. This was quickly followed by a another strange craving – pavlova making. I haven’t made a pot or a pavlova since!
Anyway, if you haven’t already visited the exhibition in the FE McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge, do so soon as it will be ending in February. I’ve included a small selection of the artwork here in this post. Also check out the logos and branding for exhibition. My very brother Michael is designer also and I think he did an amazing job!
Textiles by Jane Allen www.unfolddesigns.com
Elegantly deviant by Jill Phillips www.jill-phillips.com
Table designed by Ben Gabriel
Glassworks by the very skillful Catherine Keenan
You really have to see these works in the flesh to appreciate their beauty. Rachel Hutchinson www.rachelhutchinson.com
Michael McCrory silverware. Love that the surfaces are inspired by the ‘prickly pear’. So organic. www.michaelmccrory.com
I have to say when I read about this piece I appreciated it more for its sense of place and environment. The work is inspired by ‘Mermaid’s purse’ (the egg case of the small-spotted shark catshark) often found washed up on Irish beaches. It is a wonderful piece and I immediately wanted to photograph it. It just lends itself so well to a wide open lens!
I think this is one of Diane McCormick’s pieces. I can’t remember now for sure but it looks like her work.
Michelle O’Donnell work, influenced by nature, land and sea.
This is just a taste some of the craftspeople involved in the exhibition, most of them Irish-based. There are also works by Alison Kay, Ann McNulty, Peter Meanley, Ursula Tramski, Michael Moore, Beverly Walker, Eleanor Wheeler, Kate Wickham, Derek Wilson, David Withers, Andrea Spencer, Aisling Cook, Karl Harron, Alison Lowry, Sharon Lindsay Ferguson, Suzanne Harbinson, Rachel O’Neill and many more.
