I’m sure some of you are aware, but I recently parted ways with Speedhunters. This isn’t a bad thing or indeed due to any sort of falling out, rather I believe it to be necessary to further my career. My time with Speedhunters was both happy and of huge benefit to myself but it has come to a stage where I wanted to take my career to the next level and to progress as both a person and photographer. I’m proud to have worked with an amazing bunch of people and will be forever indebted to them. Who knows, I might make a guest appearance or two in the future…
Since the beginning of April, I’ve begun work on pursuing a new career path within the automotive industry. Where previously my work was 99.9% editorial with a focus on the aftermarket scene, I’m now aiming to work closer with manufacturers and agencies to document new cars either for PR or commercial purposes. Although on the surface it might not seem that much different – I am still taking pictures of cars – it is a completely different ball game. I have a lot to learn but can’t wait to really immerse myself in the work.
My first shoot was courtesy of the great people at CompleteCar.ie. Over the years, the Irish motoring media industry has always disappointed me to a certain extent. An over reliance on stock manufacturer photographer or worse, Irish road tests with cars on UK registration plates. Having met Shane O’Donoghue, editor at CompleteCar, earlier this year, I immediately knew that these guys carried the same passion towards improving the standard within Ireland. As journalists, photographers, marketeers etc. I believe we have an obligation to do the best job possible and to show that the Irish industry is more than just that island beside Great Britain. We must also help the consumer by providing them with clear, concise and honest information regarding any new vehicles on the market. It’s a shame in my opinion that Irish buyers often look to UK reviews first but it’s something I believe will change drastically in years to come and something I want to be a part of.
These were shot over the course of a couple of hours in County Wicklow. It was the first day in quite a while that I’ve experienced sunshine, rain, wind, sleet and snow almost simultaneously. As these shots were ear marked for editorial purposes with a looming deadline, it was a run and gun type situation where the images received small amounts of processing before being delivered to the client later that evening.
With the images handed over, I became acutely aware that a new era has begun…
