Alchemy Photography

Can't beat group shots at an army wedding !

2012-01-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

Lynn's Wedding Day

2012-01-17T10:54:00.000-08:00

Adare Weddings....

2012-01-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

Memories in Blue

2012-01-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

May 2009 at Stamford Bridge, my brother thinks he is Roman Abramovich's choice . Alas, Carlo Ancelotti landed the job and went on to give Chelsea the double !!!!!

Kids Corner

2011-11-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

For some reason the kids at Niamh and Ben's wedding were...well....way above average !

Niamh and Ben - early graphic design

2011-11-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

A day with Niamh and Ben

2011-10-30T02:48:00.001-07:00

Spent Friday last working with Niamh and Ben on their wedding which finished at Maryborough House in Cork. Very early days on this project but already some great results are starting to build.

Talk to you soon guys and looking forward to sitting down for preview in two weeks time.

Grand Camp Maisy - April

2011-10-08T02:18:00.000-07:00

Two for the road - Emer and Robert

2011-10-08T02:11:00.000-07:00

Male Perspectives

2011-09-10T01:44:00.000-07:00

Too often the male perspective runs in second place at weddings. To address this imbalance here is Robert and his bunch of merry men from last week. Hope Liverpool can do as well against Stoke today (sorry Robert I have blue blood as a Chelsea man !)

Le Pere et Le Fils

2011-09-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Self portrait of....well the self and my beautiful son Jonathan photographed on board a solar electric boat in La Rohelle.

Early Album Design Emer and Robert

2011-09-07T03:14:00.000-07:00

Three early proposed page designs from the album. Thank God for being able to push the highlight details in RAW format files - really comes in handy when you need to pull details out of a flat sky.

Marie - Early Work

2011-08-26T04:18:00.000-07:00

As promised ...the very first graphic design from Marie's day. As we progress further with the design more sheets will appear in this place.

La Rochelle

2011-08-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

Had the pleasure visiting this stunning French city with my son Jonathan. What can I say but totally blown away with the beauty of the place and the warmth of its denizens. Here are my son and the two towers La Chaine et La Tour Saint Nicholas. We will return...

Almost - les Serfs Volants - kite surfing at Sableceaux on Ile de Re. I like the idea of a hint of something going on before you actually see it. I think that this image captures this effect.

More from Aoife and Morgan

2011-08-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Two page drops from the proposed graphic design of the digital art album. Hope you had a ball on honeymoon.

Small Cameras ... Big Images

2011-08-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

I occasionally like to travel with just a compact digital camera. You know....just the type that fits in your pocket .....no fancy Canon Series 1 married to an L Type lens.....just cheap and cheerful.

Here are some images I did with my son's camera in Easter 2009 capturing West Clare atmosphere.

New Postings

2011-08-13T02:01:00.001-07:00

Coming very soon !

So far....

2011-07-30T10:25:00.001-07:00

My favourite sheet design from Aoife and Morgan's day.

Beavering away at graphic design

2011-07-29T06:51:00.000-07:00

Edit almost wrapped up on Aoife and Morgan's photography. Some very early graphic design now starting to emerge. Guys have a nice one and we will see you really soon.

The Irish Times Perspective

2011-07-27T01:52:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have been a big fan of Matt Kavanagh and Luke Betson both Irish Times photographic staff. One ruse they often resorted to to shake up perspective was that of photographing the subject from behind. Hey presto they always stole an edge with this freshness. Anyway in homage to the lads....here is my take at Aoife and Morgan's day.

Into the night with Orla and Niall

2011-07-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

Nothing like capturing a sequence of movement on a graphically designed panel like this.

Sinead a year on

2011-07-14T05:34:00.001-07:00

And what a totally stunning bride you were ! Forgotten the layout of your digital art book until I went back over it today. Hope you and Brian are good and plus one !

While hanging around

2011-07-13T02:49:00.000-07:00

Got this sequence at Orla's wedding. The happy couple were waiting to be called to the dining room and this captures some quiet moments. OK well I was playing a bit of hide and seek but candid images like this really steal the show.

Anyway still chugging away on the graphic design, in fact this is the first proposed sheet.

Orla and Niall and Ballykisteen !

2011-07-07T06:41:00.000-07:00

Hi guys ! By now I hope you got to the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian chain safe and sound. I am only just turning into your edit now but it should gather pace over the next week or so.

I want to thank Catherine Griffin of Ballykisteen Hotel and Golf again - always such a pleasure coming to your hotel.

Tune in again over the next few days and we will get more up.

Regards,

Peter

Limerick Bicycle Sunday

2011-06-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to Joe Coughlan of Limerick Corporation for asking me to cover this event. Great weather brought a sea of colour ...and a sea of bicycle enthusiasts. All this celebration of bicycles was not lost on me as I am a long standing bicycle convert.

Managed to get literally hundreds of great photographs but here are just two quick montages. Really looking forward to doing audio visual on this image set...I have a certain bicycle song by the lovely Katie Melua in mind for the soundtrack !

Una and Iain

2011-06-25T13:32:00.000-07:00

Spent a very wet but very productive day with Una and Iain in Stunning Glandore, Co. Cork. A massive thank you to Michelle at The Rectory. What can I say but the place really blew me away. In the fifteen years or so doing this job The Rectory has to be one of the finest venues ever.

Very early days on this edit / graphic design, but despite torrential rain there was a really beautiful quality to the natural light which is making for some great portraiture. Once we get rolling on graphic design we will put the merchandise on display !

Red is the colour

2011-06-22T06:16:00.001-07:00

As a Chelsea FC fanatic I may be blue to the core but I have to admit that I love the reds in this page layout. Using firstly DPP raw processing then Adobe Lightroom we can really amplify selective colours and get things pretty radiant.

Now finished your work guys see you at the preview session very soon.

Reportage and Natural Light

2011-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Its always a buzz capturing pure reportage moments of the day. Here we have a little boy on his nanny's lap doing something....well. Anyway if his mammy and daddy want this sheet altered during the preview session we will be happy to go with their wishes. But me....well I think he steals the show.

The other sheet is from the same wedding. Just a glorious lighting condition indoors and it really shows on the subjects I believe.

Thursday updates

2011-06-16T07:03:00.000-07:00

Getting there slowly but surely - basic editing done and now attention turns towards graphic design and audio visual elements of the package.

Work In Progress

2011-06-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Still plugging away on the edit and graphic design of Friday's wedding. Here are two images that I quite like. The performance of the L type Canon lens is absolutely stunning...each and every time.

Teresa and Ray

2011-06-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

Between the odd rain drop a great day was had last Friday with Teresa and Ray. Our day started really early and generated some great reportage moments thanks to staff at Velvet Hair Studio.

Later on, and hardly half a kilometer away we brought the entire bridal paty to Funderland.. The great thing about going to a place like this are the really vibrant day glow colours and the carnival atmosphere. Lets face it....not every wedding has an amusement park on its doorstep.

See you soon guys to preview your entire graphic design and to collect your media.

Castletroy Park Hotel

2011-06-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to all the crew at Castletroy Park Hotel who make things really easy any time I am working there. Cheers guys !

Spot toning.....

2011-06-08T04:42:00.000-07:00

Has been around for donkey's years and is easy peasy when you know how ! Just outside the door of the quadrant in Adare you can make out just about the coolest Bentley Turbo I have ever seen.

Just because....

2011-06-08T04:38:00.000-07:00

I love the verdant green of hostas and the the way rain forms in silver pearls.

Kayleigh's big day

2011-05-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Kayleigh you were a gem last Saturday. See you for your confirmation !

Girls In Kimonos.

2011-05-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

A recent image from a great day out - in a great house ! (I am talking about a really BIG house!). Once again the early morning start is always sure to throw some great reportage images left of field. Everyone is so busy in this one its almost like I am not there - which is just what I am looking for !

Aisimusen :0)

Spring has Sprung

2011-05-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

Always a pep in my photographic step at this time of years. Here is an image taken quite some years ago but I have always loved the blanket of wild garlic in bloom in this. A case of good timing as the blossom apparently lasts literally days.

Under the covers...

2011-04-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

The veil has many uses....such as this. Kidding aside great way of getting beautifully diffuse images. Always works a treat - as long as the veil is long enough !

Night Moves

2011-04-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

A great option that many of our clients are taking up is that of extended coverage. Instead of packing our kit at the usual 6.00 p.m. we can be with you to capture all the great candid moments of your speeches and on to the first dance.

Think about it - this is the complete record of your day from all the buzz of the house call early in the morning to the fall of night. Talk to us soon about this and we can update your booking.

Here are some selections from Conor and Marie's recent wedding.

Normandy April 2011

2011-04-28T08:17:00.001-07:00

Now that the annual vacation is over its time to roll up the sleeves and to get to grips with the upcoming weddings season. Here are two quick composites of sights seen from the Cotentin Peninsuala to the Calvados Department.

Brides dont worry next blog will be on weddings not WW2. Talk soon.

And while I was having my tea...

2011-04-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

Just added these ones. Anyway its Sunday so computers are being switched off and IPOD the dog is being walked....got to have some balance in life and a dog can keep you rooted !

Spending the day with Marie and Conor

2011-04-10T06:47:00.000-07:00

What a totally fantastic day spent with Marie and Conor. Blessed with one of the best days of the year so far and a great location at Holy Cross Abbey.

Guys - only starting the edit process but while you are on holidays in Sydney here are some very early images. As promised, we always deliver pronto !

Les vacances

2011-03-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

C'est le temps encore et nous sommes presque pret. France beckons again and as always presents some great photo opportunities.

Flysheet design

2011-03-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

One really nice way to design an album intro is via a flysheet. Here is one we ran up earlier for Maria and Laurence. The really cool spin off is that they can also be incorporated into the audio visual presentation which is standard to all of our packages.

If your audio visual set up is blu ray (i.e. ps3 or dedicated blu ray player) let us know in advance.

The view from above

2011-03-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

Organ lofts offer a great perspective on the doings of the day. Get a load of this one - if we were any higher it would have been oxygen masks !

More from Maria and Laurence

2011-03-31T09:26:00.000-07:00

Only three days post wedding and already 15 of 30 album sheets designed. Well its easy thanks to the great material we grabbed at this wedding. Something about army weddings - just run so smoothly and nobody is ever late.

Here are a few of the newer page drops. Talk to you soon.

2011-03-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

Some great images thanks to Maria and Laurence. One of the most pleasant and obliging couples I have worked with in years at this business.

Really like this one from Lynn's day

2011-01-20T02:18:00.000-08:00

Duo Toning - a subtle medium

2011-01-20T02:07:00.000-08:00

Can't really blame people for mistaking it for black and white - but duo toning offers a greater warmth. Whether it is the presentation of pure reportage moments or in a more formal shot the effect is just stunning every time.

Christine and Phelim

2011-01-13T03:21:00.000-08:00

Have a fantastic trip to Hawaii, make sure that you see Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. In the meantime here is a preliminary glimpse at some of the design we are up to.

Frosty Little Details

2011-01-12T01:09:00.000-08:00

Its often great to take a look at life on the Micro level. Here are two bits and bobs that surfaced at Tara and Mike's recent wedding.

I found the cob web on the side of a dust bin ! Duo toned, cut to vertical and edged this found a neat little spot in the graphic page design of the album. Same goes for the Tattinger Champagne cooler - just love the warmth of the candle light on the metallic suface.

Saving Private Jonathan

2011-01-12T01:02:00.000-08:00

Fun photograph done with natural light and canvas of my beautiful boy Jonathan. If I keep this up I might be able to get a photographic contract with the U.S. Army Airborne.

Anyway .....just Jonathan !

Farewell

2010-12-29T23:22:00.000-08:00

To my very dear friend Cuddles. Brokenhearted but thank you for the beautiful years you gave me.

Those house calls again -

2010-12-15T12:01:00.000-08:00

Early mornings are made for drinking copious quantities of coffee at the brides house. Zero pressure and usually great reportage shots for the grabbing.

Very often these candid shots duo toned are my favourite images of the day.

Lynn and Robert - Part Deux

2010-11-29T14:17:00.000-08:00

As always - natural light is king. I know I harp on about this over and over again but just take a look at these pictures of Lynn.

La lumiere naturelle est la plus belle !

Winter Weddings

2010-11-24T10:58:00.000-08:00

There's a certain beauty and challenge in photographing winter weddings. Light drops off a lot faster - which means we start a little earlier with the house calls !

Extensive use indoors of the RAW file format - allows us to control light temperature to a tee. Keeping things - well, really cool !!!!!

Kate ?

2010-11-24T10:51:00.000-08:00

Always thought that this young lady bears a striking resemblance to Kate Winslet

Treport & Abbeville - NW France

2010-11-13T03:02:00.000-08:00

Always feel on a natural high when I am in France. The North West is a big favourite of mine, whether it is the beaches of Normandy or tripping around the Oise valley - there are no shortages of subjects to photograph.

Come hell or high water I intend going back at least twice in 2011 with my little boy. Happy days, la vie est belle et le ciel est sans nuages.

Devil is in the detail

2010-10-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

Great details deserve their spot when it comes to graphically designing each page. Its a shame not to see the world on a micro as well as macro level.

2010-09-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Emma and Niall for such a great day out yesterday. You know, I'm not complaining but give me a nice overcast day any day (as was yesterday). Being an army wedding - well that's a big plus to start out with. Guys - you were a pleasure to work with and can't wait to sit down and do your preview ! Enjoy St. Lucia !

Let the light do the talking - not the flash

2010-09-01T03:44:00.000-07:00

Take a quick look at the following image taking from Caroline's recent wedding. Notice anything ? Got it in one - no heavy handed use of flash, in fact no flash at all.

Thanks to investing in "L Series" Canon lenses we can generate highly atmospheric images like this without resorting to flash which very often washes out the glory of the natural light.

All too often wedding photographers (experienced and in-experienced) over rely on flash, which is in itself not a natural light source. At worst you finish with awful shadow balloons behind the subject and at best a clinical image with no warmth.

Not so at Alchemy Photography - we celebrate natural light whenever we can use it.

Ballykisteen Hotel

2010-08-23T01:50:00.000-07:00

Over the years it was always a pleasure handling wedding photography at Ballykisteen Hotel, Tipperary. This is a superb wedding venue backed with a fantastically friendly and professional staff. Thanks for making my job so easy any time I am out there with you guys.

Here is a montage of the hotel's design features. See you all again really soon.

Normandy

2010-08-23T01:38:00.000-07:00

Two graphically designed images here of Normandy in France. Very often the resemblance to the Irish landscape is uncanny. I guess that's why Steven Spielberg used Wexford as a stand in Normandy 1944 in Saving Private Ryan.

The two pictures are the American Cemetery at Coleville-Sur-Mer (spot toned) and a fusion of the bell tower at St. Mere-Eglise with the sandbars of Omaha Beach at the St. Laurent Draw. Great memories of good friends in Normandy. Pas de Guerre encore !

The world of music

2010-08-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

It was a great pleasure today to spend some time photographing friend and up and coming singer / songwriter Fergal Nash. I have known Fergal now for quite some time and its always great to catch up on his burgeoning catalogue of original songs.

I tried to capture Fergal in his song writing environment, using lots of duo toning and creating these graphically designed spreads.

So there you have it - always refreshing to work around a real talent. By the way - want to catch up with Fergal - check out the Whitehouse on Tuesday nights and Lock Bar on Thursday nights.

www.fergalnash.com www.myspace.com/fergalnash

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside !

2010-07-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

Mes Vacances

2010-07-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

Even photographers need a photographic holiday now and then .

2010-07-24T03:07:00.000-07:00

Nothing to do with wedding photography this time ! Big thanks to the staff at IWM Duxford especially Historic Flying Machine's Joe for letting us get really close to some amazing vintage aircraft. And ....here's the picture.

2011

2010-07-02T03:23:00.000-07:00

In 2011 Alchemy Photography will be pushing the boat out a little further ! Book a wedding with us in 2010 and receive two parent albums absolutely free.

These "side" albums are authentic replicas of your main album and remember - you will also get all the great graphic design that went into these albums on disc absolutely free.

You can then create anything from great picture galleries in your home to dinner place mats with zero hassle.

Into Facebook, MySpace ? - then these discs give you all you need to get these stunning moments from your day out on the web. Go even further and get your free audio visual uploaded onto Youtube ! Now that's what we call spreading the word about your big day.

Talk soon,

Peter

2010-06-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is a great pleasure to re-visit older work with newer technology. Laura and Nigel's photography was completed well over two years ago.

Using capabilties opened up by our graphic design software it was possible to re-cast this photography in a stunningly new context.

Will hope to sit down with Laura and Nigel to finalize design really soon and get this one off to production in Spain !

Cheers guys !

2010-06-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

Great day yesterday in Adare working on Sinead and Brian's wedding. Just one of those days in the year when the lighting positively drips.

I have never visited the Abbey in such glorious conditions of course having a Bride like Sinead really helps. Almost forgot, Brian you were great too.

Now its time to get to grips with graphic design for album pages. In the meantime here are some early samples.

Till next blog,

Regards,

Peter