This week the club was delighted to have as a guest speaker, Michael O’Sullivan. Former chair of the IPF and photographer extraordinaire, Michael came to share his Fallen Angel series of photos and to talk about his work and influences.
Before Michael spoke we again shared some of the photos taken by members over the summer as part of our summer challenge. This week it was the turn of Joy and John.
Joy chose the letter P, John opted for C.
So on to Michael. Michael began by explaining that he takes photos for three reasons, commercial, personal and through necessity. The commercial work is frequently client driven but at times Michael can choose the theme of the shoot and develop ideas of his own. When time allows he tries to include photos for his own use. Michael pointed out that commercial shoots do not always have to be for money. On occasion it may be better to establish a contact or develop a relationship or simply gain exposure.
Living in West Cork allows Michael ample opportunity to indulge in photography for pleasure and usually involves taking photos of the diverse coastline and landscapes the region has to offer.
Michael then spoke about the photographs that he has to make to help salve his person. These are the photos that include among others the series of images of the Fallen Angels, Sleeping Beauty and Giselle. Stunning photos all. Before beginning to capture the images in the camera, Michael considers how he wants the image to feel, how to best acheive this and how he can best manage the light both the ambient light and any that he decides to introduce. From looking at the resulting pictures there’s no doubt that Michael excels in controlling and capturing the light whether it be in a forest, inside a church or simply in his back yard.
A fascinating and inspiring evening. Thanks, Michael.