From growing up in Ireland to moving to Los Angeles, my journey through life and photography has always included my love for nature. The Irish countryside gave me a deep respect for nature, a theme that has always been woven through my work. Photography, which started as a passion at the Limerick School of Art and Design, has evolved into a medium through which I try to explore and capture the natural beauty of the world around us.
In the early days, of the traditional film camera taught me patience, precision, and the art of anticipation. With just 24 shots in a roll, every click of the shutter was a gamble of light and composition. The real magic began in the dark room. Watching an image slowly emerge on the blank canvas was magical, and laid the foundation for my purpose in photography: to capture moments in time.
The year 2020 marked a significant shift in my photographic journey. As the world retreated into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, I found relaxation in the embrace of nature. The lockdown lead me back to the natural landscapes reminiscent of my childhood in Ireland. Los Angeles, has a rich biodiversity, offering lots of opportunities to walk alone, accompanied only by birds and other wildlife. This period rekindled my deep connection with nature and directed my focus towards bird photography.
Over the past four years, my lens has increasingly turned towards the sky and the trees, capturing birds in their natural habitats. While I do not consider myself a birder, my commitment to photography has found a new focus. Being out in nature, camera in hand has become a form of meditation for me - a way to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of city life.
At the core of my photography lies the simplicity and beauty of the natural world. Bird photography, with its challenges and unpredictability, has sharpened my approach to photography. It demands a lot of patience. Unlike other forms of photography, where the environment can be controlled to a certain extent, bird photography is unpredictable, and has taught me to be more present.
My style has always been about emphasizing the subject matter by minimizing distractions. The background, lighting, and composition must all work together. This balance between the subject and its habitat reflects my preference for clean, richly colored images that tell a story or convey an emotion.
My photography now forms a deeper alignment with my values and true self, as I journey back to nature - a journey that has brought me full circle from growing up in the Irish countryside to the biodiversity of America. In every shot, I try to capture not just images, but the interconnectedness of all living things.