Wedding Photography stories & images taken in Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Clare and Tipperary, Ireland by Pauline Dennigan, Wedding Photographer from Tralee, Kerry, Ireland
A very quick post before I sign off and get my butt in gear for the Kerry Wedding Show this Sunday..
This is a shot from Ciara and Damien’s wedding which was on a very cold but dry day in January. It was excellent weather for me mainly because I wasn’t the one wearing the sleeveless dress. I also had the most perfect cloud cover in the sky to produce even, soft light on the skin of Ciara and Damien.
More images to follow and then I’ll tell you about this funky, green VW Van.
I recently photographed Niamh & Colman’s wedding at Springfort Hall, a cosy country house in Cork. It was a cold, cold day to be in a dress but Niamh was a star, not to mention Colman who really nailed the shots in the 15 minutes we spent outdoors. I was delighted to find that Mallow had a great blue church, a yellow door (compliments of the Arts Centre) and this stunning rich, red drawing room in Sprinfort Hall. All of these elements allowed me to create some very vibrant, winter wedding shots..
Let’s go back to the beginning…
I was kindly given this photograph, taken by a wedding guest at Jamie and Myrna’s wedding. So now I know what I look like when I am giving orders. It’s not very pretty. Mind you, this photograph was taken at my only truly vocal time of the wedding day, when I need to herd (encourage) the wedding guests into one big group. It is not a major problem to do this, but boy are you wasting your time if you think it can be done from the ground. There is a specifically Irish trait of not wanting to appear too enthusiastic about having your photograph taken because you might appear too confident. We are very good at acting not worthy. Why? I have no idea. All I know is that it takes one or two people to break from the pack and put themselves into the photograph and then the rest will follow…
I had intended in posting a new wedding but after meeting one of my brides, Myrna last night I decided I would delve into her wedding again because there were some beautiful shots that I had forgotten about. We sat down to choose the photographs for her and Jamie’s album while having a laugh over some incidents on the day of the wedding, the flat tyre on the wedding car being the most memorable..
“How long do the photographs normally take?” This is the question I get asked the most by wedding couples (sometimes accompanied by a worried look). I always answer their question by talking about the day as a whole rather than just the photography on its own. This approach helps people to understand that for everything to run smoothly, all aspects of the day are to be considered.
For you, I have narrowed these down to the key factors that will influence timing on the day as a whole:
One: It would be the opinion of many that a 2pm ceremony time is perfect as the day is not too long for your guests. Well what about you? Your day disappears rapidly as the Priest may give a longer that expected ceremony (normally 1 hour and ceremonies rarely start on time). It takes at at least a half hour to meet your guests as they come out of the church. Depending on the distance between the church and hotel, it may take a half hour or more to get to the reception venue. We are now at 4.30pm and you still need to allow time for the bulk of the photographs. The chances of mingling with your guests are fast diminishing to make the 5.30pm meal time. Where is the whole day going (a day you spent a year planning)? Remember that your guests have taken the day off to spend with you. Do yourself some justice and plan to have your ceremony at 1pm. An extra hour WILL make a huge difference for all invloved.
Image from http://funnyweddingphotos.net
Two: Be on time for your ceremony. This may be a no-brainer but it doesn’t happen enough. Ten minutes may be okay but remember you will also need to allow time for some shots with your Dad/Mum before you walk up the aisle. Some time to compose yourself is also important. This is not going to happen if you know you are late.
Three: A major time consumer is how many family photographs you decide to have. I always recommend no more than six formal groups (less would be even better). This frequently gets stretched to many more, and brides & grooms find themselves with a pain in their jaw and wondering when they will be able to mingle with their guests. Be strict, don’t get carried away with these shots. I know they are important but by keeping it simple at least you will have the family groups you really want and a chance to enjoy some drinks with your other guests.
Image from http://funnyweddingphotos.net
Four: The weather. I would consider myself to be a very efficient kind of gal. No stone is left unturned in the lead up to ensure that we (myself and my assistant) know exactly how will get great shots no matter what the situation. We have a wet day and dry day plan but there is no denying that rain can slow down proceedings. Small things like having to place towels on the ground under dress trains will add minutes . Rain can be an inconvenience and cause disappointment but my mental attitude is to be prepared for anything to happen. And remember if you have booked a good (qualified & experienced) photographer, relax knowing that she/he will produce the goods no matter what the weather.
Image from http://funnyweddingphotos.net
Five: Spontaneous or formal shots. I could make this very complicated but I have decided to keep it simple. Both spontaneous and formal shots need time. Approx 95% of my couples want both spontaneous and formal shots in their wedding albums. Spontaneous shots require the Photographer to wait, wait and wait some more for a moment to happen that is worthy of photographing. It is not simply a case of being snap happy. The one trade off however is that you are amongst family and friends as opposed to going overboard on the formal side of being photographed on your own. The more formal shots you have the more it will eat into the spontaneous opportunities.
If you have found this helpful, please add a comment. You can also ask any related questions and I will do my best to help you.
I am trying to meet a deadline but really wanted to share this shot with you. I mentioned Niamh & Tom in an earlier post on their rainy day wedding. Well I have just edited another one of their shots which I really love. This was shot within seconds of rain falling on us. Kerry is such a beautiful county but boy does it rain a lot. I can still say, hand on my heart, that it is THE best place in Ireland to get married…
Whether you are getting married or not, November is a time when we could all do with some extra hugs and kisses so why not practice some photogenic kissing…
Rule One – Do not pout like a trout! Partners lips should be just touching and not protruding or squashed against each other.
Rule Two – Do not have a collision of noses going on! Tilt your heads in opposite directions so that you fit together comfortably.
Rule Three – Feel free to use your hands around the face or neck for a more passionate embrace but without squashing your partners skin. Hands need to rest gently or risk distorting your beloved’s face.
Rule Four – Close your eyes when kissing. The rabbit caught in headlights look is not good when kissing your partner! Much more passionate when you allow yourself to be lost in the moment.
Rule Five – You don’t always have to kiss on the lips. Forehead, cheek or neck can sometimes look really good.
Now practice!
Here are my 6 winning photographs which achieved Gold Awards at the Irish Professional Photographers Association two nights ago. I am now in the running for IPPA Photographer of the Year 2010, but let me tell you it is very, very difficult to win and the the standard of my colleagues is incredible so don’t hold your breath….
Huge thanks to Lorraine & Joe, Lillian & Marco, Jasmin & Danny, Elva & Eoin, Judy & Brian and Louise & Des, firstly for booking me as their wedding photographer and secondly for creating these images with me.
The landscape shots from my last post were a result of research done for Niamh & Tom’s wedding which was happening in Lispole. I felt great excitement at the potential for their shots. Visually I knew exactly what I was aiming for. Well to get to the point, none of this happened. It rained sporadically throughout the day and in fact every time I even suggested we put a toe outside the door of the church, the clouds would systematically spill down on top of us. Finally, I was given a 10 minute reprieve and this was what we got…
Oh and it wasn’t just the rain.. The tide was in with no sand left to stand on, the rocks were slippy and my feet were buried in slimy seaweed (I was hauled out by a gallant groomsman). The funny thing was that we were all happy to work with what we had and there was no disappointment to be seen on Niamh & Tom’s faces. The beach below these rocks was where Tom proposed to Niamh by writing it in the sand. They were happy regardless..
