mark capilitan sligo wedding photography blog

I'VE MOVED!!!

2010-03-19T13:36:00.004Z

Well, I've moved blogs that is! And changed my website to be exact! Much like Bold & Wash n'Go, I've decided to combine my blog & website into one main site!

This blog has served me well, but the new one has bigger images, allows me to showcase gallery images and still have all the detail from my website, along with loads of new info for you to read up on! And it looks better too!!

So head on over to the new place - I'd love to hear your thoughts and I look forward to connecting with you over there!

GREEN!

2010-03-17T12:33:00.004Z

I've just introduced a new eco-friendly item that I'll be giving all couples when they come to pick up their albums! I hope it'll be of some use to everyone! But you're going to have to wait until your album is ready before you can get your hands on it!

0-1 YEAR OLD SHOOT

2010-03-17T12:12:00.002Z

Wedding season is fast approaching and when it kicks off, it kicks off big time with 5 weddings in April and a mega wedding photography seminar I'm really looking forward to! But in the meantime, a part from shooting some surfboard shaping, I've just finished a 6-month old baby shoot! This is something I'm going to start offering soon as a package, so please contact me for further information. I'm also in the thick of things dealing with a new website, and as usual I'm the one getting my hands dirty with coding & design! Stay tuned for that!

WaxOn Surfboards

2010-03-11T15:19:00.002Z

A few weeks ago I photographed Conor from WaxOn Surfboards shaping a new surfboard for his shop - you can find the post here! He finished the fish last week, and here is it. Such a lovely looking board, it was really cool to see if go from the foam blank to the finished board!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2010-03-08T17:49:00.002Z

Here's a few images from an engagement shoot I shot today...my first one of 2010! My 2010 wedding season kicks off in early April and it's pretty full on then until September, when I'll be getting married myself, and then I have a few more in October & a few around Christmas. But today couldn't have been better to start with the 2010 engagement shoots...blue skies, warm-ish thanks to the sun, and a really easy going couple. I'm already looking forward to the 17th April at Lough Rynn.

CASTLE DARGAN BRIDAL SURVIVAL SEMINAR

2010-03-01T09:15:00.002Z

Yesterday I attended the Castle Dargan Bridal Survival Seminar in the lovely hotel in Ballygawley, Sligo. More of a hints & tips talk than a wedding fair, which was a nice change, it also included a fab showcase of some dresses from Events by Ray Michael. I hope to have a Q&A session with Ray very soon, so stay tuned for that!

FLUSH MOUNT ALBUM FOR PARENTS

2010-02-26T11:08:00.002Z

I've just received another album for a client, however this post is about the smaller, linen covered option that I got a sample of for myself. It's almost an exact 8x8 inch replica of the bigger 12x12 inch album, however instead of the gorgeous leather cover, it's got an equally fabulous linen cover.I'll be offering this album as a parent option for anybody who chooses the Kiss option for their wedding.

FLUSH MOUNT ALBUM

2010-02-23T09:31:00.004Z

I just got another gorgeous flush mount album in for a client who chose the smouldering brown leather cover! And as quickly as I received the album in, it's already in it's new home!

SELDEX GALLERY ALBUM

2010-02-19T14:43:00.003Z

I just want to do a quick post on a new album I got in recently. It's the Gallery Album by Seldex, my favourite album supplier of traditional type albums.
This album will be offered as a 9 inch book, which will suit either a parent album, or for use as a guestbook with your engagement shoot images in it. This is what I've done with this album, and what you see is actually going to be the guestbook for my own wedding! So I've plenty of blank pages for signing.
I've gone for the really mega Asahi cover, and you can get this cover to suit the full Seldex album I offer for wedding packages. For anyone who chooses a Seldex for their wedding, I have all the covers as a swatch sample so you can get a good idea of what the full album will look like in your chosen cover. And I also have 4 full albums in 4 different covers - timber, outback leather, aluminium and asahi.

ANNETTE & MARK'S WEDDING FEATURED

2010-02-17T11:52:00.007Z

I've just got my hands on the newest issue of Irish Wedding Planner magazine, the 2010 Annual, which features Annette & Mark's wedding from August 2009. I was ecstatic when the publisher called me in late 2009 to let me know they were going to run with this wedding as their Glamour Wedding. It was another great wedding around the Ballina area, and I have to admit it was Annette who did the groundwork to get the wedding into the magazine!

WEDDING INTERVIEW - FLORIST

2010-02-17T09:23:00.008Z

For the second in my Wedding Vendor Interviews, the Q&A will be with Micheal Feehily, of Feehilys Florist, Sligo. I've shot plenty of weddings where Feehily's have provided the bouquets and other flower arrangements. And they always do a mega job of the arrangements/bouquets, and they're always great to photograph!

***

What is the first question you ask brides and grooms when you meet with them about their wedding?

Before coming in for a wedding consultation, we’d ask them to bring a picture of the wedding dress and a sample of the bridesmaids material. We believe the wedding bouquet is like an accessory to the dress so by having the photo it gives us a good feel for what would suit best.

What is your number one piece of advice that you give brides and grooms about planning their wedding day?

Please don’t pick a bouquet from a wedding magazine. It might be something you really like, but it might not suit the dress and to keep an open mind when it comes to flowers. The florist will be able to suggest different options that would best suit your look.

How does your personality and signature style translate into the style of your floral arrangements?

We really treat every wedding individually so whether you want something really simple or you’re looking for the wow factor we’re happy to accommodate. We recently won a Gold Award for Irish Flower Shop of the Year and are very proud that our high quality is recognised within the trade. We really love what we do and it shows in our work.

How can someone incorporate a celebrities flower style into their own big day on a budget?

Every bride is a celebrity and we have people who want to follow them. We don’t follow others!

Who is your celebrity dream client?

A bride who loves flowers is always a great client. Mark Feehily from Westlife just got engaged, I’d really love to create their wedding flowers.

What tips do you have for a bride who is planning a summer wedding?

If it’s a bank holiday weekend, book your florist early and be open to the florist suggestions. There are so many more beautiful varieties of flowers available in summer.

What type of flowers should a bride choose for a summer wedding?

It really depends on the style and the colour of the dress, the whole feel of the wedding and the brides personality. There are so many options available that it is impossible to recommend a certain flower or a certain style. Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the planning.

For more advice on any topic regarding flowers for your wedding day or anytime please don't hesitate to call Feehily's, on 071-9170000 or go to www.feehilysflorist.com or drop into one of their stores in Bridge Street & Carraroe, Sligo.

(L to R): Micheal Feehily with Dutch Master flower arranger, Joan Stam.

BEHIND THE SCENES

2010-02-09T10:32:00.004Z

When clients book a wedding with me, it's not usually something that comes up anymore! But occasionally they'll ask what sort of equipment I use. It might be curiosity on their part or another family member! Here's a post from 2007 that explains what camera kit I use, and for the most part, it's the same now, except I use two Canon 5D's as my main cameras, and the 1D mark2N is in the car as backup.
I've heard great things & bad things about the newer 5Dmark2 which is why I haven't upgraded yet. Also the files straight out of the 5D are still gorgeous, and couple that with some of the prime lenses I use, and the results are fab...just look around the blog or my gallery on the website!

And in terms of post processing, I was until last Friday a pure PC man and had been since 2004! But I just added a new 24" iMac the other day, which has been brought into my office for a specific purpose for 2010! My PC will still be the workhorse where all Photoshop work & album design will be done, but the iMac will have it's place! And no I won't be buying anymore shiny things in the near future!!

But all the above is really behind the scenes stuff that serves the purpose for producing the images I give to my clients & help produce their gorgeous albums. It doesn't really matter if it's Nikon/Canon...PC or Apple, as long as the finished product is mega!

WEDDING INTERVIEW - MAKE UP ARTIST

2010-02-02T13:05:00.007Z

For the first in my Wedding Vendor Interviews, the Q&A will be with Ann Young, a make-up artist based in Co.Sligo. I've shot a few weddings where Ann was doing the make-up and she's always done a fab job, and in terms of the photography, she's always been bang on time so I could get the bridal shots done before going to the church! I find that if the day starts off by running late, everything else throughout the day gets affected! Ann has also recently placed 1st in Bridal Make-up, in the Makeup Artists Show Competition 2009.

***

What information should a bride take away from her trial make-up session before her wedding day?

The makeup trial is a vital step before the brides big day. By working closely with bride the makeup artist can determine the kind of look the bride is trying to achieve, whether she wants a very subtle sophisticated look or something a little more glamorous, it really depends on the bride herself. It is always a good idea to bring along a photograph of the dress and the chosen hairstyle, this gives the makeup artist an idea of the the over all desired look. Also at this stage the makeup artist can determine the brides skin type, and what preparation needs to be done in order to ensure the makeup lasts all day, the basis of all good skin and flawlessly finished makeup is a good skin care routine, regular facials are a "must have" before your wedding day, all skincare advice will be provided. The option of fake tan if desired needs to be discussed its a good idea to have a trial to ensure the colour is suitable for the brides skin tone she can choose between a spray tan or a rub-in tan, again exfoliating the skin or dry brushing in the weeks leading up to the wedding will make a big difference to the finished look. After gathering all the relevant information the makeup artist can then put together a look which makes the bride look and feel fabulous and one which the bride herself is happy and confident with each look is tailored to suit the individual. All products to be used on the skin will be discussed in detail, and a list of the lipstick and lip gloss is given to the bride for retouching on the day. The bride should leave her trial feeling relaxed and confident with the makeup artists chosen look for her special day.

What questions should a bride ask her potential makeup artist?

The most common question is usually will my makeup last all day.
The cost involved in the makeover.
Advice on preparing her skin for the big day.
Colours suitable for her skin-type.
How to corrected flaws on the skin.
What happens my makeup if i cry during the ceremony.
Is it a good idea to have my hair trial and makeup trial done on the same day.

Can a bride achieve a timeless look that wont appear dated in her wedding photographs?

A timeless look is always achievable and will never look dated. Everyone desires a polished au natural look, and again this is achievable providing the dress and hairstyle all compliment one another. A classical look is always a safe option and one which suits most Irish women. And not forgetting preparing the skin in the months leading up to the wedding, once the skin is in tip top condition one can carry off any look whether it is trendy or classical.

How can a bride ensure her makeup last throughout the ceremony and reception?

A face primer is used on the skin this evens out the skin tone while minimising redness for a seamless finish it creates a smooth invisible layer that act like a barrier between the skin and the foundation ensuring the makeup looks flawless and last all day, it's a must have for special occasions.

Are touch ups a good or bad idea?

It should not be necessary to touch up your makeup providing it has been applied correctly and appropriate products used. Only the lipstick should need retouching as lipstick is not meant to last all day. You can use a lipstick sealer but these can be very drying on the lips, it is much better to carry your chosen lipstick with you for touch ups.

What beauty treatments should a bride do to prepare for her wedding day?

It is very important to prepare your skin well in advance for your big day. Regular facials are vital, this will give your skin a more youthful look, ensuring the makeup looks flawless on your big day, a good home care skin routine in the months leading up to your wedding day is advisable, regular manicures and pedicures are also a must have treatment. Have your eyebrows tidied up, this opens up the eye, and leaves more room for eye shadow application. You can also opt to have your eyelashes tinted, this should be done three days before your wedding day, and a 24 hour patch test is required. Drinking lots of water also helps to hydrate and plump up the skin, avoiding tea and coffee as this dehydrates the skin, and can cause dark circles. Regular exercise and eating a balanced diet and not forgetting lots of sleep all contribute to that flawless look all brides are trying to achieve.

Whats the one product every bride should use?

I'd have to say a good primer - this leaves the skin flawless and ensures your makeup looks fabulous all day.
Top tip - Using the correct product for your skin will ensure your makeup remains perfectly in place all day.

For more advice on any topic regarding skincare or your wedding day makeup please don't hesitate to call Ann Young, award winning makeup artist "08/09 " on 071-9130729 or 086-3718617. Or you can email annyoungbeauty@yahoo.com

WEDDING VENDOR INTERVIEWS

2010-02-02T11:40:00.005Z

Over the next few weeks, I'll be doing some interviews with some other wedding vendors that I really recommend, having worked with them on many a wedding day! I'll hopefully get some Q&A sessions with a make-up artist, dress supplier, videographer & florist that should be of some help if you're preparing for your wedding this year, or next year!! So stay tuned!

WEDDING 1 JANUARY 2010 SLIDESHOW

2010-01-29T12:01:00.005Z

I've just put together a slideshow from my first wedding of 2010, and you can view it by clicking here!
As said before, I don't include this kind of slideshow in my packages, but try to get round to putting it together after. It's a nice way to show people who might be abroad or away, the images from your wedding! Not everybody gets to see the finished album, so this is another way of letting people see!
I'd love to hear what you think! Thanks, mark - email or comment below!

SELDEX ALBUM SHOWCASE

2010-01-21T16:51:00.004Z

I attended an album showcase by Seldex Artistic Albums, in Dublin yesterday, whom I use to produce all my traditional type albums I offer clients. And as anyone who has come into view albums or has gotten one from me, you know they're absolutely gorgeous albums, and called traditional in that they use a matted print....but that's as far as tradition goes!! Just do a search on the blog for Seldex and you'll see some examples of previous clients' books. Anyway, there were some beautiful books on display yesterday, and even though most do not suit my packages, it was great to see some of the new cover options on full albums, because as good as the cover swatch is, nothing compares to seeing a full album with your chosen cover. There were a few ideas that I liked, and I'm now working on getting some samples made up, so hopefully I'll have them soon enough to show off to clients!

WaxOn Surfboards

2010-01-18T15:26:00.003Z

As it's the quiet time off-season for me, I'm keeping my eye sharp by doing some photography for local surfboard shaper, Conor at WaxOn Surfboards, who is based in Rathcormack, Sligo. It's really interesting to see how a board goes from being a foam blank through the different processes to eventually become a full blown surfboard in the water. The photos below show the shaping phase, and the 1st part of the glassing phase. As soon as Conor gets to finish the board off, I'll have the rest of the photos up here...right up to the finished surboard! I also happened to acquire a new board for myself while out at the WaxOn factory! Support your local shaper and all that!!!

WEDDING FAIR RADISSON SLIGO

2010-01-11T09:49:00.008Z

I'll have a stand at the forthcoming wedding fair in the Radisson Hotel in Sligo this coming Sunday, 17th January, 2pm-6pm.

For all couples who stop by my booth, I'll be giving a complimentary engagement shoot along with one 8x10 inch print from the session! Just ask me for more info on the day!

I'll have some new albums on show, and as with all my albums that I show clients, they're all real, full weddings with real couples, I don't do fake model wedding shoots for sample albums!! The albums feature the following hotels:

I'll also have my Every Wedding Albums 2007 & 2008, which contain 20-30 images from every wedding I've shot that year. And I'll have the 2009 edition on an lcd TV on the stand. These albums are great for getting a feel of my style of photography, and for brides-to-be, they're great for getting ideas for your own wedding! These albums feature loads of hotels in and around the north-west area including, Kilronan Castle, Lough Rynn Castle, Mount Falcon, Castle Dargan and loads of others!

So drop by for a look & chat if you're coming along!

2011 WEDDING AVAILABILITY

2010-01-11T09:42:00.011Z

I'm now starting to take on 2011 Wedding dates.
As I book more dates, I'll add them to the list here.
So far these dates in 2011 are unavailable, ie: already booked.

January: 3rd

February: 12th
March: 18th

April: 29th, 30th
July: 2nd, 16th, 23rd, 30th

A non-refundable booking fee of 300 euros is payable at the time of booking. This then guarantees your date. I cannot provisionally hold any dates.

I'm available for national & international weddings - for desintation wedding info, please contact me.

And remember, I look after almost every aspect of your wedding photography myself - from the initial meetings, to your engagement photo shoot, to the wedding day and to the design & layout of your album. So you'll always be in contact with me, for a more personal touch.

And in order to stop me from becoming a wedding photography factory if you will, I only take on a limited amount of weddings per year (around 35). That way you get me fresh, creative and at my best!

ALPINE GLOW BENBULBEN

2010-01-07T09:34:00.002Z

Week 3 in the so-called big freeze, but at least it's not raining, and we are actually getting a season called winter for a change! And I'm getting to use a lot of the winter gear I bought for my Churchill polar bear trip! And the light at this time of year is still gorgeous! And to see alpine glow on Benbulben yesterday was spectacular! The shot would be even nicer if the mountain had more snow on it....I'll keep an eye on it today!

BEST OF 2009 - SLIDESHOW

2010-01-04T16:13:00.005Z

Rather than put a few of my favourite images from 2009 here on the blog, I've put together a slideshow instead, incorporating both engagement shoot & wedding favourites!
Click here to start the show!!

WEDDING 1 JANUARY GEEVAGH-CROMLEACH LODGE

2010-01-03T15:34:00.003Z

I officially kicked off my 2010 wedding season on the 1st day of the year, with a great wedding! Although the roads getting to and from the ceremony venue in Geevagh and the reception in nearby Cromleach Lodge were absolutely treacherous with long stretches of ice, all guests, myself and the bridal party negotiated the back roads and made it to both venues! The day itself was absolutely gorgeous with a beautiful glow from the sun all day. And with the sun beginning to set in the afternoon, we made a quick decision to stop en-route to Cromleach to do all the bridal party & bride & groom portraits beside the lake. And although frosty & cold, everyone was super and tried best not to show how cold it was while I worked for 10 minutes on the portraits. The party really kicked off in the evening when Sean Hession & his crew of Frankly Sinatra entertained guests into the night! What a way to start the new year!!

WEDDING 30 DECEMBER COOLANEY-KILTIMAGH

2009-12-31T16:23:00.000Z

So here is a few images from my final wedding of 2009! It took place in Coolaney, and then we went onto the reception in the Park Hotel in Kiltimagh. It was pretty wet & slushy all day, but that didn't seem to bother the couple at all, and we got some lovely images inside in the warmth of the hotel!

2009 WEDDINGS

2009-12-31T15:13:00.005Z

I just shot my last wedding of 2009 yesterday....thanks to all my 2009 couples (all 34 of them!!) & their families for helping me get some great images throughout the year!
I'm going to put a best of 2009 slideshow together in a day or two, but first I have my first 2010 wedding to shoot tomorrow, on New Year's Day, and it's looking like the weather should be very chilly, but nice and sunny! And as usual, I'll post some images from that wedding and also, the last of 2009!
And here's an image from way back in 2008, from the Exumas, something to help combat the long spell of cold weather we've been having here in Ireland!!

WEDDING 28 DECEMBER SKREEN-ENNISCRONE

2009-12-29T14:36:00.002Z

Here's a few images I just quickly edited to put up on the blog from yesterday's wedding. This week I have 3 weddings, and hopefully it'll be dry for all 3, but like most of the country it's quite frosty and really cold, but it still beats the rain. And snow always looks great in photos...even if it's just a dusting like in the first shot! Again with all the weddings I shoot, what I'm really looking for is real moments, and some relaxed portraits. I might find a nice background, but what the couple do is usually up to them! I love the look on the bride's face in the third image, you couldn't pose that!

BENBULBEN WITH SNOW PANO

2009-12-23T15:17:00.004Z

With icy & snowy conditions around for the past week, I've been waiting for a chance to take this shot! But everyday seemed to be dull and grey...except this morning, when the sun rose and lit up Sligo's own Table Mountain. The view didn't last long however, as the sun and cold water meant that the mist took over most of the bay...and it's still there now as I write this!

WEDDING 17 DECEMBER LOUGH RYNN CASTLE

2009-12-19T10:03:00.003Z

Here's a few images from last Thurday's wedding which took place at Lough Rynn Castle in Leitrim. The weather was gorgeous, a bit chilly, but lovely blue skies and sunshine for most of the day. But it's winter and no matter how nice the day is, it still starts to get dark around 3:30pm. Therefore in order to get photos outside you really need to have an early ceremony...or, you might opt to do a First Look, which is what Karen & Peter decided to do. Meeting each other an hour before their ceremony, there was so much time to get some mega photos around the Castle grounds in the glorious sunshine. After the ceremony I then shot the family groups very quickly outside as the sun was setting, and with all the other 'formal' pictures done, the couple got to fully enjoy their reception!

WEDDING COMING UP!

2009-12-15T10:41:00.004Z

The Christmas wedding period is almost upon me, and I'll be shooting 4 weddings between 17th & 1st January. The first shoot is this Thursday and is taking place in Lough Rynn Castle. I love shooting at Lough Rynn, because you've got the great grounds to work in, and inside the castle also lends itself to great candids.

Check out this wedding which I shot in August
and this one from back in April, both from Lough Rynn.

Winter weddings tend to be quite difficult to shoot due to the light conditions, but there is a great vibe about them because of the Christmassy feel, and sometimes due to all the candles in the churches, you can get gorgeous details shots, such as this one from a wedding last January.

ASUKABOOK BOOK OF THE WEEK!

2009-12-11T09:27:00.004Z

Following my trip to the Seal River Lodge near Churchill, Canada, I put together an Asukabook of some of the images I took during the few days. This week Asukabook chose the design as their book of the week!! You can view the book here!!

MULLAGHMORE TOW-IN SURFING

2009-12-09T15:02:00.004Z

Almost 2 years ago to the day, the world witnessed surfers tow-surfing into 50 foot waves in north-county Sligo. While not as big this time round, Mullaghmore this morning awoke with some gorgeous conditions for the tow crews to have more fun around the headland! Check out some of my images from the morning in a slideshow here!

FEEHILY'S FLORIST DEMO

2009-12-06T12:20:00.003Z

With the Christmas period well and truly upon us, I had a christmassy photo shoot a few evening ago, when I was out at Feehily's Florist shooting a christmas flower demonstration by Dutch master flower arranger, Joan Stam. I can't say I'm a flower expert by any means, but some of the arrangements he made were incredible! On another note, Feehily's new store in Carraroe, Sligo is a lovely, spacious place, with some gorgeous flowers & arrangements. I tend to see a lot of their wedding work via brides bouquets, and everytime they look superb!

BENBULBEN PANO

2009-11-30T15:03:00.004Z

November is the start of the short days, and the long nights. But it's also when the light starts to get gorgeous, whenever it comes out that is! I took this series of shots this morning as I was driving home. Actually I drove home, got my kit and drove back the spot where you get this panorama of Benbulben. Thankfully I only live a few minutes away. The shot is a panorama of 5 pictures stitched together.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-11-30T14:38:00.002Z

Here's a quick post of an engagement shoot I shot yesterday in dry, but cold conditions! These guys will be my final wedding of 2009, when they get married on 30th December next month! Hopefully we'll get some nice light like we did yesterday!

FULL ALBUMS ONLINE NEW!

2009-11-25T15:55:00.003Z

I've just put two new full client albums online to view. They're both Seldex album designs, which is the traditional album I offer, see post below! I always use a variety of different sized photos for visual impact. And these albums are always custom designed for each client (as all my albums are), so each one is always unique to each wedding.

SELDEX ALBUMS

2009-11-24T10:37:00.006Z

And finally along with the flush mount & Asuka came this mega Seldex album in a fabulous ice silver shimmer cover! These are the traditional kind of album I offer and as I've said before they're made using prints behind mats and that's as traditional as it gets - no tissue paper between pages, no gold or frosting around the edges, no nasty cover with 'our wedding' text on the front! And they're handmade and shipped all the way from Australia.

Asukabook Coffee Table Book

2009-11-24T10:33:00.004Z

Along with the flush mount album, a mega Asukabook was delivered also. I love these books, so much so that I always get my holidays published in one (password: wild). This couple has chosen the superb red main cover, which I absolutely adore!

Edit Posts

FLUSH MOUNT ALBUM

2009-11-24T10:24:00.003Z

With the Christmas period approaching fast, my album suppliers international deadlines have come and gone to guarantee delivery before Christmas. So the books are starting to get delivered!! This morning I got delivery of 3 client books, and my own Churchill book (password: wild). This is the gorgeous flush mount album, which I posted about before. This time, the couple has chosen a sultry chocolate brown cover. Every time I get delivery of these albums, I'm blown away by them...they're fab!

FULL ALBUMS ONLINE

2009-11-18T17:29:00.003Z

I've just updated the Wedding section on my main website to include two examples of full wedding albums. These are actual clients albums like all my sample albums are, that you'll see if you visit for a chat about your wedding. Both albums are flush mount landscape style albums. I'll have a Seldex traditional example online very soon.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-11-16T10:25:00.002Z

Since returning from Churchill, I've been really busy getting album designs finalised before all the suppliers Christmas deadlines. So it was nice to get out and get shooting again this weekend. Karen & Peter are getting married just before Christmas, and it'll be in a superb location, Lough Rynn, so it should be a great day. We done this engagement shoot yesterday in the gorgeous November sunshine at Dunmoran Strand.

CHURCHILL POLAR BEARS 3

2009-11-06T16:07:00.002Z

I've finally gone through and edited all the images from Churchill. So here's a couple more! Again, having been 'forced' to stay at the lodge for an extra day, we managed to spend halloween there! How mega are these pumpkins that the Churchillwild staff carved! And as I've said already, the extra day was also the best for photography, with blue skies, a gorgeous sunset, and then the next morning had an equally great sunrise (2nd image). The last image in the series is the Seal River Lodge where we stayed.

CHURCHILL POLAR BEARS 2

2009-11-05T09:23:00.002Z

Within an hour of arriving at the Seal River Lodge, we had seen 3 or 4 bears. And within two hours, we already had experienced close-up polar bear sparring twice, all within 15-20 feet of the front door!! As you can see in the images, the bears are really a yellow colour, and it's not until there's snow on the ground that they turn a more whitish colour. The day we arrived, there was no snow on the ground, and the temperature was 0 C. The next day snowed lightly all day and was enough to put a covering on the ground. The next day got much colder at -7 C and was snowing & raining all day with very strong winds making shooting a nightmare! And then our extra day at the lodge had temperatures of -16 to -20 C with lots of snow overnight and throughout the morning, but then the sun made it's appearance and we had the most amazing sunset while out hiking on the frozen bay which was cracking under out feet!!

CHURCHILL POLAR BEARS 1

2009-11-04T18:23:00.002Z

Here's a taster of some of the images I've come back with. Again I haven't even started editing and have just posted these five as a sample of some of the single bear action we seen while up in the Seal River Lodge with Churchill Wild. All bar the last image was taken on our extra day in the lodge, thanks to 75 kph winds stopping the turbo prop plane from taking us back! I guess we got really lucky, as this day was also when the sun made it's first appearance, and the temperature dropped to a whopping -16C and with windchill, it made it feel like -25C!!!

PHOTOS & REVIEW SOON!

2009-11-04T13:28:00.002Z

I haven't even begun to really check out my photos from the trip yet, but I should have some up here later, along with a review too! But here is one image from the one night we briefly seen the northern lights!

IN SEARCH OF THE POLAR BEAR

2009-10-21T15:22:00.005Z

I'm just back in Sligo after having gone for a week in search of polar bears in northern Canada, and it's probably the longest route I've ever had to take to get somewhere! Sligo-Dublin, Dublin-Heathrow, Heathrow-Toronto, Toronto-Winnipeg, Winnipeg-Churchill, Churchill-Seal River Lodge! I booked this trip last year, but have really only spent the last month looking forward to it due to a really busy spring & summer with weddings. I'm not going to write all about the trip, because you can read it here on the ChurchillWild website.
For any clients or potential clients, I'll get responding again first thing tomorrow!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-10-19T08:36:00.003Z

On Saturday I unofficially started the 2010 wedding season by doing this engagement shoot in Lough Key! This couple are getting married on the 1st January 2010, so they are the first of my 2010 couples to do their e-shoot. And what a day it was, the sun was shining and the leaves were all turning golden and red...and there was some good surf that arvo too!!

JENSON BUTTON F1 CHAMPION

2009-10-19T08:30:00.000Z

Interlagos, Brazil, is one of the best circuits in Formula 1 to take photographs at, and yesterday it again helped decide the F1 championship, this time in Jenson Button's favour. It seems the best circuits ie: Suzuka & Brazil, always seem to decide the championship...and long may it last because the classic circuits usually have the best atmosphere, great racing and are great to photograph.

Silverstone 2009

Hungary 2006

Hungary 2006

Images Above Copyright Sutton Motorsport Images

Indianapolis 2000

SELDEX ALBUMS

2009-10-15T14:54:00.004Z

And to finish off a busy week for album deliveries, 3 Seldex traditional albums were dropped off by the courier yesterday evening. Today was spent putting them together. I always love it when clients choose a different cover, such as Outback Leather or Jacquard, but then I do always love the black leather cover when I get it in my hands! Like Audrey Hepburn's little black dress, the black leather will just always look great!

COFFEE TABLE BOOK

2009-10-15T14:51:00.003Z

Following on from yesterdays post about the flush mount album I just had delivered, here's a couple of images from a coffee table book I just got through the door. These books are really gorgeous, and when they're printed on gloss pages, the colours just pop right off the pages! I'm hearing good things too about the bags I give them out with...I had them custom made just for these books!

FLUSH MOUNT ALBUM

2009-10-14T13:30:00.003Z

I just got a delivery of a gorgeous new album a couple of days ago. Images can't really do it justice, but here's a few anyway before it gets collected and sent to its new home!

WEDDING 3 OCTOBER COOLANEY-MARKREE CASTLE

2009-10-06T15:12:00.003Z

Here's a few taster images from the mega wedding I photographed last Saturday, which started with the couple getting ready in Markree Castle, the ceremony was held in Coolaney, then we went back to Markree for the reception that afternoon. Erica & Stephen were super relaxed all day, and didn't even seem to mind getting caught in a sun shower while we were outside doing some photos...thankfully the bestman came running with an umbrella, and I got one of my personal favourite shots of 2009!

WEDDING 2 OCTOBER CALRY-CASTLE DARGAN

2009-10-05T12:35:00.004Z

Last weekend I had the unofficial end of my 2009 wedding season, with a wedding on both Friday & Saturday. I still have 3 more weddings for 2009, but they're not until December, so the busy season for shooting has ended. Here's a few images from Friday's wedding which started in Calry, and went onto the reception in Castle Dargan, which will be the scene of my own wedding next September! At the start of the day I didn't think we'd have any chance of getting outside for pictures, but as per most of my weddings this year, we managed a few minutes outside in the afternoon between showers!

WEDDING 26 SEPTEMBER LETTERKENNY

2009-09-29T10:30:00.004Z

Here are some images from my second wedding from last weekend, which took place in Letterkenny, and the surrounding area. The couple, their families & friends were all super relaxed and this always makes for better photography! And the locations for the photo shoots were excellent also!

WEDDING 25 SEPTEMBER ROSSES POINT

2009-09-28T19:27:00.003Z

Here's a few images from one of the weddings I photographed this past weekend. I had two very relaxed weddings, with both of them skipping the traditional hotel reception opting for a more intimate venue. This wedding took place in Rosses Point across the bay from where I live in Sligo.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-09-17T10:24:00.004Z

Here are a few shots from an after-wedding engagement shoot I photographed a couple of days ago in Strandhill. You can see a few shots from their wedding at Markree Castle below. And because they booked so late, they were unable to do the e-shoot before their wedding, but as they were staying in Sligo for a few days after the wedding, they made some time to get some nice relaxed portraits done on the beach!

Here's a couple of shots from an engagement shoot I photographed the other evening in Strandhill also. It's the last e-shoot of my 2009 clients! And these guys are the last couple I'll be photographing before I take a few weeks break from weddings...until December anyway!

LOUGHREA TRIATHLON

2009-09-15T10:18:00.002Z

On Sunday I took part in my final triathlon of the 2009 season in Loughrea. This was my 4th tri of the year, and it had the best weather for it too...although it made the running conditions very hot! The swim was in a gorgeous lake, which was so clear! The bike section took place on the back roads around Loughrea, and was a good course, with some fast sections and some tough hills! The run then was an out and back course with one or two hills! I was delighted with my performance on the day, as it all went right for me! My wetsuit came off fine after getting stuck the week before, and the bike and run went well. So I was delighted to come in 24th place, with a time of 1 hr 13 min 22 secs -Swim 14:20, T1 1.02, Bike 35.42, T2 0.37, Run 21.41. Now to take a week off training and hope that some surf materialises, and then I'll get back to training for next season!!
Images: Darius Ivan - http://www.divmedia.ie/

WEDDING 12 SEPTEMBER MARKREE CASTLE

2009-09-15T10:07:00.002Z

Here's a few images from Saturday's very sunny & hot wedding which took place at Markree Castle near Sligo. Now I don't generally take on late bookings, but this wedding was booked only a week before the big day! After having a long drive to and from the thursday wedding in Wicklow, one of the reasons I took on this wedding was because it was set all in the one area, starting in the Markree apartments, and then the Markree chapel and castle. This meant that we got all the family formals and bridal party pictures done after the ceremony, and still had loads of time to enjoy the champagne reception outside the castle in the glorious sunshine.

WEDDING 10 SEPTEMBER DUNLAVIN - RATHSALLAGH HOUSE

2009-09-14T14:18:00.002Z

Last Wednesday I drove across the country to check out the location of my Thursday wedding. It was to take place in Dunlavin, Co.Wicklow, and definitely the furthest I've had to travel for a wedding. Getting there a day early meant I could scope out the church for the ceremony and the gorgeous Rathsallagh House where the reception would be held, and spend the night with my sister's family! Anyway, the wedding was superb, with easy going people, and fabulous hot weather which meant a great champagne reception outside in the stunning gardens.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-09-14T14:14:00.002Z

As I near the unofficial end of my wedding season - only 2 more weekends (4 weddings!), that also means an end for my 2009 engagement shoots. I have one left to shoot, tomorrow, and here is a few images from one I shot last Saturday in Strandhill.

WEDDING 5 SEPTEMBER EASKEY-ENNISCRONE

2009-09-08T10:37:00.002Z

Here's a few images from last Saturday's wedding I shot, starting with the ceremony in Easkey, then onto the reception in Enniscrone. I'm now super busy again, and heading to Wicklow tomorrow for a wedding on Thursday, back from there on Friday morning, another wedding then on Saturday in Markree Castle in Sligo, and then the last triathlon of the year for me is taking place on Sunday in Loughrea. Next weeks plans will be editing and album design and editing!

LOUGH KEY TRIATHLON

2009-09-06T15:01:00.005Z

Unfortunately no pictures for this post as it was simply too wet to even contemplate taking the camera out! But I finished the Lough Key sprint tri in 1 hour 22 mins 37 secs, coming 26th. Apart from the rain, stuck zipper on my wetsuit in transition 1, and a slight trip into the ditch on the bike it went fine! Not as good as the Metalman in July when everything came together perfectly , but happy to have finished and with the same result almost, 25 people in front of me!
Swim: 13.51 (17), T1: 1.35, Cycle: 44.35 (24), T2: 0.39, Run: 21.58 (71) total: 1.22.37.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-08-31T14:22:00.003Z

Thanks to the Warriors Run blocking most of the Strandhill village roads last Saturday, I had to find myself a new location nearby to do an engagement shoot. And I think I came up trumps! It's very near to where I live, and it's got loads of potential with old run down buildings, loads of shade if it's (ever) sunny! I'm already looking forward to going back for my next shoot, or whenever! And no, I didn't do the run as I'm saving myself for this weekends Lough Key triathlon, and the following weekends, Loughrea tri!!

WEDDING 28 AUGUST BALLINA-MOUNT FALCON

2009-08-31T13:31:00.002Z

Here's a few images from last Friday's wedding which took place in Ballina Cathedral, then onto Mount Falcon hotel for the reception. As with all of my weddings in August, it rained for the majority of the day, but thankfully, as with all bar one of the days, we were still able to get the majority of the photos done outside in the late afternoon sunshine! Hopefully with September starting tomorrow, we might get some sunshine & heat...but I wouldn't count on it!!

WEDDING 21 AUGUST MANORHAMILTON - DONEGAL

2009-08-22T08:10:00.003Z

Here's a few tasters from yesterdays wedding that I photographed, starting in Manorhamilton and then going onto the Mill Park Hotel in Donegal. I haven't done the full edit yet, so these are just a few that I knew I wanted to blog. Again, we got lucky between the rain showers, and got to do all the necessary photos outside. I'm now hopefully going to spend the day either in the water or looking for waves, as it seems the surf gods are finally sending some swell towards us!

SELDEX ALBUMS

2009-08-19T13:22:00.004Z

I spent the best part of yesterday putting together 3 Seldex (traditional type) client albums! These albums are pretty hard work, as you do have some work in putting the prints in, unlike the digital flush mount albums which arrive from the manufacturers all ready to hand over! But seeing the finished product definitely makes it worthwhile and is why I continue to offer the traditional type of album. As I say, they're traditional in that they use actual prints behind a mount, but that's as far as tradition goes! These albums are gorgeous, have clean simple lines and are made for displaying not hiding in the bedroom closet! A variety of different sized photos are used for visual impact. And there's a huge choice of cover option also. And they’re handmade and shipped all the way from

Australia

! I always get the front cover embossed with the clients names as standard...there's nothing that screams old school album like 'Our Wedding' on the front of an album!

WEDDING 14 AUGUST RATHOWEN-LOUGH RYNN CASTLE

2009-08-17T14:25:00.005Z

Rain, rain and more rain!! That's what was forecast for Friday when I had a wedding to shoot. And the day certainly started with bucket loads of rain! But somehow we managed to get everything we needed done outside! I had the families photographed in 5 minutes after the ceremony in Rathowen near Edgeworthstown, before a shower came! And then when we got to Lough Rynn Castle, I left the bride & groom to enjoy the champagne reception in the hope that the rain would ease off so we could go into the wonderful gardens. It did! And we got some excellent pictures in 15 minutes. And my favourite lens, the 135mm F2 came into its own in the darker conditions! Then normally I photograph the speeches in the hope of getting something nice, but they are really more suited to video...except when you get something like the last shot, it's over in a fraction of a second & you might even miss it on video...but here it is for a lifetime in a photograph....a real moment, you can't pose shots like this!

SARAH'S WEDDING CAKE

2009-08-15T10:56:00.002Z

I just want to do a quick post showing my fiancée, Sarah's wedding cake that she made for my sisters wedding a couple of weeks ago. I won't say that blood, sweat and tears went into making it because that would be disgusting! But she did put a hell of a lot of effort into it, and it came out mega! Mega looking, and it tasted even better, especially the chocolate fudge middle part!! The bottom was a butter cream sponge and the top layer was carrot cake. As you can see from the logo, this shot was taken by main photographer of the day and former fellow Sutton Images snapper, Elliot Patching, who did a super job!! If you're an English couple getting married in the UK, check out his website, he's got some great work on it!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-08-13T11:49:00.002Z

Here's a few shots from an engagement shoot I shot late yesterday evening near Easkey in Co.Sligo. These guys are getting married beginning of September and were one of the first couples to book for me 2009. I can't believe how quickly this summer has gone by!

2010 WEDDING AVAILABILITY

2009-08-12T01:50:00.025Z

So far these dates in 2010 are unavailable, ie: already booked.

(Late availability for May as you can see below).

January 1st
April 10th, 16th, 17th, 23rd, 30th
May 20th, 28th
June 4th, 5th, 11th, 19th, 25th
July 3rd, 9th, 10th, 23rd, 24th, 31st
August 6th, 7th, 14th, 20th, 27th, 29th
October 9th, 29th, 30th
December 11th, 18th, 28th, 30th

***The only September date I will be taking is the first weekend. The rest of the month is unavailable as I'm getting married myself!!!

A non-refundable booking fee of 300 euros is payable at the time of booking. This then guarantees your date. I cannot provisionally hold any dates.

I'm available for national & international weddings - for desintation wedding info, please contact me.

As I book more dates, I'll add them to the list here.

And remember, I look after almost every aspect of your wedding photography myself - from the initial meetings, to your engagement photo shoot, to the wedding day and to the design & layout of your album. So you'll always be in contact with me, for a more personal touch.

And in order to stop me from becoming a wedding photography factory if you will, I only take on a limited amount of weddings per year (around 35). That way you get me fresh, creative and at my best!

NEW PHOTOS ON WEBSITE

2009-08-11T09:07:00.000Z

After a hectic few weeks getting albums designed and put together, I finally managed to get my shop window updated - ie: my main website photos! To see some of the new wedding images go here. And to see some of the newer engagement shoot ones, go here!
As always there's a link at the bottom of each of those pages which will bring you to the blog where you can see up to 5 images per wedding/engagement that I've shot.
As I said, my website is more like my shop window, to give you a taste of my work, my blog then has much more images. And of course if we meet up for a chat about your wedding day, you will see complete albums of full weddings, not simply a best of collection. Although I do have that also in my Every Wedding Album 2007 and 2008.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-08-10T10:58:00.002Z

Here's a few images from an engagement shoot I shot in Strandhill over the weekend. These guys are getting married in a few weeks time in Wicklow, and it looks like it'll be a great venue. And I always love shooting in a new place, as it's all new to me! This wedding will also be another family that I have photographed before, when I shot the groom-to-be's sister last year.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-08-10T08:02:00.003Z

Here's a few engagement shoot photographs from a shoot I done last week. I'm catching up with album pre-design this week, and have 4 designs to get through, an Asukabook, 2 Seldex's and a Kiss! I'm also waiting on delivery of 3 Seldex albums so can't wait to get my hands on them, get them ready and have their respective new owners pick them up!

WEDDING 2 AUGUST ENNISCRONE

2009-08-06T15:46:00.003Z

I'm finally caught up with all my wedding edits after a really busy 2 weeks. Here are some samples from last Sunday's wedding which took place in Enniscrone. This wedding was the first time for me that I had previously photographed another family members wedding, in this case the bride's sister back in July 2007. And it meant that when I turned up, everybody already knew how I worked, and the day went really really smoothly even with a bit of rain. And doing the video during the day was Niall from Complete Weddings, and you can view a clip of the day on his blog here. Oh, and the pigeon in the first shot, was not an invited guest! He just flew in the open door and landed on the flowers! The bride and groom also had one of my engagement shoot photographs mounted for guests to sign on the way into the meal. They make a great momento of the day!

WEDDING 1 AUGUST KNOCKMORE (BALLINA)-ENNISCRONE

2009-08-05T14:10:00.003Z

Here's a few images from a wedding I photographed last Saturday in Knockmore, near Ballina, and ending up in Enniscrone. It was yet another great, and really relaxed wedding. Rain in the morning didn't get anybody down, and it even cleared up after the ceremony so we got all the pictures done on the church grounds which were stunning. The bridal party even had time for a Guinness in the pub across the road, had another quick 5 minute shoot at Enniscrone beach, and still made it to the reception in plenty of time to chill out and chat with guests before the meal. When the location of the ceremony & reception are quite close to each other and the timing of the ceremony is early enough, then there's usually loads of time for all that!

WEDDING 25 JULY SLIGO-ENNISCRONE

2009-08-04T17:29:00.002Z

Thanks to the lack of any decent surf, I've got through 2 wedding edits today. And here are a few taster images from the superb wedding of Sabrina & Fergal, which took place on 25th July, starting in the Cathedral, Sligo and ending up in Enniscrone. Again a brief shower in the morning didn't dampen spirits, and we even got out for a quick location shoot after the ceremony. These guys are also going for my mega Kiss album with a stunning red leather cover, so I can't wait to get designing that and get my hands on it to see how it compares to the black leather!

WEDDING 24 JULY BALLINAFAD-BALLAGHADREEN

2009-08-04T11:37:00.003Z

Catch up time! Here is a few sample images from a wedding I shot on 24th July, starting with the ceremony in Ballinafad, and ending up with the reception in the Abbeyfield Hotel in Ballaghadreen. With a couple of showers throughout the morning and early afternoon, everyone had a superb time in the late afternoon when the sun made it's appearance. After the ceremony we went for a few relaxed portraits up beside the Gaelic Chieftain monument. As always I'm just looking for a nice clean background...what the couple does then is usually up to themselves....real moments are so much better than stiff posed shots! And it always shows in the photographs.

Blog Blitz

2009-08-04T10:18:00.002Z

Stay tuned for a deluge of blog wedding posts coming up starting today. I've got 4 weddings to edit, and I've just got the 1st of them done...so stay tuned for some more examples of my relaxed portraits, real moments and fab details!

I also just want to mention another videographer I worked with on last Sundays wedding. It was my first time to work with Niall from Complete Weddings and I have to say he was great throughout the day, and the way he went about the day showed he was doing some nice work. It's always great when the video guy does something different and you can tell when they know exactly what they're doing. Check out his website and the sample on the front page and you'll see what I mean!

WEDDING 29 JULY WICKLOW

2009-07-30T18:57:00.002Z

Here's a few images from the wedding I attended yesterday near Wicklow Town with the reception in the Glenview Hotel. I wasn't the primary photographer as it was my sisters wedding! I elected to take the day off, mostly, and let my mate Elliot take charge with the camera! It was nice to step into the role of 2nd shooter for a change and concentrate on getting some different shots, that you mightn't normally have time for if you're the main photographer. It was even better to be able to relax with a 'few' drinks during the night! I'm back on duty this weekend with a double header weekend...stay tuned next week for shots from them and also the 2 weddings from last weekend, which I have yet to put into post production.

U2 CROKE PARK 27 JULY 2009

2009-07-30T16:42:00.002Z

Dublin, Ireland, 27th July 2009 seen U2 play their 3rd and final home gig in Croke Park. It's been written about in all the press in Ireland and websites, so I'll just go so far as to say it was mega!

WEDDING 1 MAY SLIDESHOW

2009-07-21T20:08:00.004Z

To see an almost full wedding slide show from a recent wedding click here! Although, it's not quite the couples full wedding, it's pretty much all the images that went into their album. I don't include the slide show in my wedding packages, its more of a case if I have a bit of time after designing the wedding album, I'll see what I can put together!

WEDDING 17 JULY CARRAROE-KILRONAN CASTLE

2009-07-20T12:10:00.004Z

Hot off the press, here's a few sample images from last Fridays wedding that I shot, starting at Carraroe church in Sligo, then heading over to Kilronan Castle. It was a great, and relaxed wedding to shoot as I knew the groom and a lot of the people in the wedding party. Just before heading to the reception, we did a quick 10 minute shoot at Lake Meelagh which is next to the Castle. I'm now gearing up for the busiest 2 weeks of the year...double header wedding weekend coming up, and another double header the week after, and during the week I'm off to see U2 in Dublin, and my sisters own wedding!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-07-16T11:28:00.002Z

Here's a couple of images from an engagement shoot I shot yesterday arvo down in Strandhill. These guys are getting married mid-August, and it should be another great one! The shoot definitely done it's job in getting the bride & groom-to-be more comfortable in front of the camera...and that's exactly what my e-shoot is all about! I'm now preping for what should be another mega wedding tomorrow and I've just received a new album for some clients, and have a few albums just gone to production, so things are in full swing shooting & post production!

WEDDING 10 JULY SLIGO

2009-07-15T13:17:00.002Z

Here's a few samples from the wedding I shot last Friday. Things started off with a great ceremony in St.Joseph's in Sligo, and then we went straight onto the reception at Castle Dargan, which has fabulous grounds, so why bother going anywhere for a location shoot when you can do it at the reception, which then gives you loads more time to spend with family & friends! For the first time this year, I also got to work with Caroline of Pink Lime wedding videos, which was great, as she works in pretty much the same manner I do, making it quick and easy for the bride, groom and everybody else at the wedding!

2 HOURS 22 MINUTES 53 SECONDS

2009-07-13T08:59:00.008Z

2 hours, 22 minutes and 53 seconds of hard, hard work! That's how long it took me to finish yesterdays All-Ireland Metalman Olympic triathlon in Rosses Point. I was hoping if all went well to finish around 2hrs 30mins, but I still can't believe I managed that time in what was tough conditions - a very rough swim, windy bike section, then some sun on the run! My times were: Swim 24:29 - T1 1:39 - Bike 1:10:37 - T2 0:30 - Run 45:39. I came home with 25 people in front of me (of around 200 entrants), but I'm not sure if there was any relay people ahead. Either way, I couldn't be happier and it really makes all the training worth it! Thanks to everybody who supported all the triathletes...I heard lots of shouts for me, but I tend not to look around too much!! Cheers! (The photos below were taken by my super fiancée Sarah!)

All-IRELAND METALMAN TRIATHLON

2009-07-11T16:10:00.002Z

Months of training are all but done, and tomorrow will see me put the training to full use when I take part in the All-Ireland Metalman triathlon in Rosses Point in Sligo. It's shaping up to be a great event and it should be a lot of fun and probably pain towards the end! If you're around the area, come out and support all the triathletes and the large number of locals taking part too. The swim kicks off at 10am on the 2nd beach, the bike route will then take us out to Grange and back, then the run is finishing up on the promanade in the Point. I reckon the first finishers will cross the line around 12pm....I won't be amongst them!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-07-11T15:01:00.002Z

Here's a few shots from an engagement shoot I done late Thursday evening. I went to the same school as the groom-to-be years ago and he's also usually in the water whenever I'm surfing down in Strandhill! It should definitely be a great day next Friday. I shot another really great wedding yesterday, so stay tuned for a few shots from that on Monday!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-07-09T08:52:00.002Z

Here's a few shots from an engagement shoot I shot a couple of days ago in a windy Rosses Point. These guys are getting married tomorrow, Friday and it should be a great day! Stay tuned for some shots next Monday.

WEDDING 3 JULY SWINFORD-KILTIMAGH

2009-07-06T14:55:00.004Z

Here's a few samplers from last Friday's wedding, which started in Swinford, and then went onto the Park Hotel in Kiltimagh, with just a short brief stop beforehand in the sculpture gardens for some nice relaxed portraits in the shade of the trees. The couple & their families were really relaxed all day, and we got some great shots in the glorious sunshine...even after a brief rain shower in the morning while doing the bridal portraits!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-07-05T19:30:00.002Z

Here's a few images from the 2nd engagement shoot I shot today, again with the threat of rain hanging around! But it stayed dry & we got some good, relaxed portraits down around Strandhill...where again it's as flat and calm as a lake!
I've known the groom-to-be since I was in secondary school, so again, it should be a great wedding, during my busiest week of the year, where I have 2 weddings one weekend, fly up to Dublin to see U2, my own sisters wedding is mid-week, then I have 2 more weddings the following weekend! Busy times!!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-07-05T18:16:00.002Z

Thunder, lightening, torrential rain...we've been getting all that and more all week here. The hot weather we had all during June seems to have gone for the time being. I still got lucky with the weather on Friday at the wedding I shot and we had lovely sunshine for most of the day! I'll post some images from that tomorrow. But today I shot two engagement shoots in between showers! Again when it was dry it was mega, with some really dramatic dark skies and lovely light...it was just a matter of getting the timing right!

WEDDING 27 JUNE MULLAGHMORE-SOLIS LOUGH ESKE

2009-06-30T17:32:00.003Z

Just finished editing last Saturday's wedding, and here are a few sample images from the day. I had a hard time choosing such a small selection! It was a really mega wedding...new locations, an early ceremony, another great day with sunshine and necessary cloud (thankfully!) at times, and a really chilled out couple...everybody at the wedding was relaxed in fact...I've never taken so many candid shots before! The ceremony was held in Mullaghmore, then we done a quick 10 mins shoot around Mullaghmore head, where we done their engagement shoot, and then we went off to the reception at the awesome Solis Lough Eske Castle. My first time at that venue, and I already can't wait to go back to shoot there again! Anyway, we got some more portraits in front of the castle for all of 5 mins....I could have shot there for a couple of hours, but 5 mins is plenty to get some nice, relaxed portraits and get the couple back to the party!

WEDDING 26 JUNE EASKEY-ENNISCRONE

2009-06-30T10:35:00.003Z

Here's a few shots from last Fridays wedding which took place in Easkey then onto Enniscrone and the Diamond Coast Hotel. It was another superb warm dry day and we got some great, relaxed portraits with the bridal party & bride & groom around Easkey village, around the ruins beside some of the best surf breaks in Europe (not on this flat summer day though!) and beside Enniscrone beach too! Because I shoot very fast, we spent no more than 10-15 mins in each location, so the bridal party had plenty of time to spend with guests at the reception before the meal, which is really what a wedding is all about...chatting and meeting friends & relatives!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-06-29T11:04:00.004Z

Here's a few tasters from an engagement shoot I shot yesterday in the glorious sunshine up around the Caves of Keash. Getting a few nettle stings on the way up didn't stop us getting some great images!! I shot two weddings last weekend, which I'm now working on, so I'll post some images very soon!

BRITISH GRAND PRIX...MORE IMAGES

2009-06-23T12:41:00.002Z

I've just put up a couple more images from the British Grand Prix on my website - follow this link! You can of course see everything I shot from the weekend at www.sutton-images.com and do a search for capilitan/sutton and 2009.

BRITISH GRAND PRIX

2009-06-22T13:00:00.002Z

Just back home in Ireland after spending a long weekend over in the UK shooting the British Grand Prix in Silverstone. My first race since the end of 2006, and really not a lot has changed in F1. The politics seem to have got worse and the motorhomes bigger, but apart from that, much the same!! And I didn't take me too long to get back into the swing of things with regards shooting the cars. With the big triathlon less than 3 weeks away, now it's full on with some intensive training, and back the wedding game this weekend with a double header, and some album design during the week too!

(All images Copyright Capilitan/Sutton-Images)

BACK TO F1...

2009-06-16T15:14:00.005Z

That's right! I'm heading back to the F1 paddock, at least for 1 race anyway! I'm heading over to Silverstone on Wednesday to shoot the British grand prix for my old employer, Sutton Images. It'll be the first time since Brazil in October 2006 that I'll be back shooting F1! A lot of has changed in F1 since I left at the end of '06...

Michael Schumacher is no longer around...Jenson Button can't stop winning...Grooved tyres are gone...
and Lewis Hamilton is now an F1 champion, not just GP2 champion.

(All images Copyright Capilitan/Sutton-Images)

WEDDING 13 JUNE SLIGO

2009-06-15T11:39:00.004Z

Here's a taster from the wedding I photographed on Saturday. Again the couple and bridal party were great to work with, easy going and relaxed all day. And somehow we managed to avoid thunder, lightening and torrential downpours and still get outside for photos! The ceremony took place in St.Joesph's Church (which I love shooting in because it's so bright!), we went for some relaxed photos in Hazelwood, then onto the reception in the Clarion Hotel, Sligo.

WEDDING 12 JUNE BALLINA-ENNISCRONE

2009-06-14T11:14:00.003Z

I shot two weddings this weekend. Here are a few samples from Fridays, which started in Ballina Cathedral and went on to the reception in the Diamond Coast Hotel in Enniscrone. The weather again played it's part giving us nice dry, warm conditions to get some nice relaxed photos in Enniscrone. Apart from a few nerves prior to the ceremony & speeches, everybody was super relaxed and seemed to really enjoy the day, which is what weddings are for!

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-06-09T11:20:00.003Z

I've been super busy with editing and doing bunch of album pre-design as well as two weddings coming up this weekend...but here's a couple of shots from an engagement shoot I done last Saturday. We're still getting the best of the weather up here in the north-west, although not as hot as it was...it's actually perfect for all the training I've been doing for the up-coming All-Ireland Metal Man triathlon in Rosses Point on 12th July. I was supposed to be doing the Mullaghmore tri in less than two weeks, but something has come up instead which I'll post about soon!

WEDDING 5 JUNE MARKREE CASTLE

2009-06-07T10:35:00.002Z

Here's a few tasters from last Fridays wedding which took place at Markree Castle near Sligo. I haven't posted many details shots from the weddings so far this year, so here are a few, including the mega bouquet done by Feehily's Florist in Sligo.

ENGAGEMENT SHOOT

2009-06-05T07:59:00.003Z

With the mega weather that has lasted all week here, I switched roles the other night, and went in front of the lens for a change! These are just a couple of shots from my own engagement shoot with Sarah. Living in Strandhill definitely has it's benefits on an evening like this one with that gorgeous light just around sunset. These were taken by my friend and superb press photographer, James Connolly.