John Reynolds Photography

Jacinta & Aidan

2009-07-12T09:29:00.005+01:00

On Friday I was in Roscommon town for Jacinta & Aidan's wedding. The Abbey Hotel was buzzing on Friday morning with all the Clontarf crew, while Jacinta was beautiful and calm as she got ready at home. The weather was mixed, so we didn't get to use Bridie's brilliant garden for photos, but we did get down to the ruins of the old Abbey later, between the showers. Jacinta and Aidan, (and Paul, Matt, Aidan II, Una, Eithne,& Aideen) were great to work with, really relaxed, good craic, and enjoying the day. Hopefully Aidan has caught up on some sleep by now after his restless night on Thursday.

Three Weddings

2009-07-03T21:59:00.008+01:00

Here's a quick one from each of the last IWP weddings I've completed. They were in Kilronan Castle (pictured), The Bush Hotel in Carrick and the Slieve Russell . We're in the eye of the busy season now, and since these three I've had weddings in the Diamond Coast in Enniscrone, the Lough Erne Golf & Spa Resort and have been to the Clarion in Sligo twice. Tomorrow it's the Piker's Lodge in Cavan.

All Grown Up.

2009-06-30T21:01:00.006+01:00

This is my gorgeous goddaughter Lucy, who was 18 last week, on her birthday. We all went out to dinner to celebrate and the very next morning she jetted off to Guadalajara for eight weeks. And I remember her in nappies as if it was only yesterday.....

Jimmy's Garden Party

2009-06-03T22:48:00.005+01:00

After Fionnuala & Donncha's wedding in Marlfield House, we popped down the road to Ferrycarrig where it was my Uncle Jimmy's 60th birthday. My last visit was in 1976so things had changed quite a bit since then. Jimmy is a fine horticulturalist, so between the showers on Saturday evening I had a little stroll around his beautiful garden, before quietly celebrating the big birthday.

In gardens, I like to handhold the camera, get in close, and focus on details with a shallow depth of field - all things the textbooks on plant/macro photography tell you not to do.

Fionnuala & Donncha

2009-05-22T21:19:00.006+01:00

With communions,confirmations and the start of wedding season, it's been a busy few weeks. After two IWP weddings in the Slieve Russell and the Bush Hotel, I headed to Wexford and the beautiful Marlfield House for Fionnuala & Donncha's wedding. I hadn't met them since ringing in the New Year 2008 in Abbeyglen Castle, so had been looking forward to this one. The rain almost held off, and though we didn't make the beach, it was a great day.

For anyone wondering about the hurlers, Donncha won a senior All-Ireland medal with Tipperary in 2001. He had another big win last Friday.

Hastings

2009-05-17T18:54:00.004+01:00

Hastings is an interesting place, with a long history - as well as the famous battle of 1066 it has been a thriving naval and smuggling stronghold for centuries. It is still an important fishing port, despite not having a harbour. The fleet is beach-based, with the boats being physically pushed out to sea and then winched back up the beach on their return. Hastings is an interesting mix of waterfront, picturesque medieval old town, brutalist 60's & 70's architecture in the new town and some fairly gritty outskirts, where the human and pit bull populations seem to be about 1:1. The latest adventurer to arrive is one Mr Peter Loye, which is how I found myself there for a quick visit recently.

Margaret & Vinny

2009-04-26T11:33:00.007+01:00

I was in Mayo last week for my biggest wedding yet - 420 guests in the Broadhaven Bay hotel after the ceremony in Binghamstown. Mags & Vinny took everything in their stride and Vinny came up with the best speech I've heard in a long time, without a single note or prompt.

Tomorrow's Papers

2009-04-09T17:36:00.002+01:00

This is the brilliant Mick Flannery, who played in The Dock in Carrick-On-Shannon last night. The pictures are just snaps from my seat in the audience, but are a good excuse to promote a great new talent. His recent album "White Lies" has started to get some airplay and his live act with a really tight, talented band will build his fanbase very quickly. See some video on his site

Spring in The Air

2009-02-22T21:38:00.006Z

I took a break from editing my Valentine's Day IWP wedding at the Slieve Russell in Cavan -

to bring the dogs for a walk. Ossie was sporting his new haircut from Posh Paws and it was the first day to show signs of Spring this year. Trees and flowers are coming to life and there was some warmth in the evening sunshine- very welcome after the hard winter.

One Man And His Bird

2009-02-09T21:57:00.006Z

When I got up to the stables yesterday Jimmy was out doing some work with his new Harris Hawk, so I grabbed the camera from the car. As well as being an Ireland International at clay pigeon shooting, Jimmy is an experienced falconer. These two are just getting started together, but the bond between bird and man is already strong as Harry flew to the glove instantly when whistled. I look forward to photographing them properly when they're working wild.

Winter Wonderland

2009-02-08T21:54:00.005Z

We had an overnight stay in Kilronan Castle last night, and woke up this morning to a dusting of snow. The temptation to stay and photograph the winrty scenes was matched by the desire to get on the road before conditions worsened. as it was, we made it ok, but met one of our fellow guests on the way home who had a misahp. Luckily, nobody was hurt, and as always in a crisis like this there was a man with a tractor on hand while his wife brought the driver in for a cup of tea.

Venice by Night

2009-01-26T21:09:00.005Z

Though I didn't have a tripod, it was worth trying a few hand-held shots using a nearby wall or bridge to steady the camera if there was one around, or if not, firing multiple shots and hoping the middle one would come out sharp enough. Luckily, one or two did.

Venice

2009-01-24T13:23:00.005Z

Venice is unique, and even during a cold, grey, damp January it is a beautiful maze of small streets and tiny alleyways scattered between the canals and bridges. Ancient buildings are all around, often showing signs of the city's struggle with rising waters.

Clodagh & Keith

2009-01-05T20:40:00.016Z

When one of the Cartron Cowboys saddles up to get hitched, you know it's going to be a fun day in the Wild North-West. And by the time we got to Harry's Saloon after a beautiful but freezing sunset walk along the beach at Rosses Point, the barmaid was under pressure. There was no gunfight down at the Ok Corral, but there was a mighty big hoedown in Castle Dargan later that night....

Winter Walk

2008-12-16T21:29:00.007Z

We had a short snap of cold weather last week, which was perfect to get out and walk in. Saturday was really crisp and bright, with the kind of light you rarely see in west of Ireland winters, while a freezing fog hung around for quite a while on Sunday morning, to give quite a different, diffused, desaturated effect.

Yvonne & Richie

2008-12-11T23:02:00.021Z

Yvonne has been waiting patiently to see some pictures from her wedding - almost as patiently as everyone waited for her and Richie to walk up the aisle! When they did though, they did it in style. So I'll post a few extra of this one. Look out for the filmmaker's Hitchcock-like appearance late on. The revellry took place in the Clontarf Castle Hotel and lasted well into the early hours.

Nicola & JJ

2008-11-15T20:05:00.008Z

Nicola and JJ got married recently in St Mel's Cathedral in Longford. It was another day of non-stop driving rain, but as we've learnt to this year, we made the most of the day indoors back at the Shannon Keywest Hotel.

Joe & Catherine

2008-11-04T19:23:00.006Z

I first met Joe when he was a little fella in short trousers running around with my little brother, so it was extra-special to photograph his wedding recently in Delvin and the Mullingar Park Hotel. He married a beautiful bride in Catherine; but being the true farmer, his head was still turned by a fine-looking tractor.

Orla & Ken

2008-10-13T21:48:00.008+01:00

We've been friends with Orla for years, and we met Ken when they came back from New Zealand. It was a pleasure to photograph their wedding as well as being guests. The ceremony and reception were held in the beautiful Ballybeg House in the Wicklow Hills. The weather held up, the band were great, and Uncle Ernie was in fine voice. The camera was left behind for the following day's barbeque.

New Arrivals and Old Faces

2008-10-09T20:41:00.014+01:00

At the last count there were 26 birds and animals living with us here in Killaraght. The big excitement recently has been the arrival of the horses - Ardquinn Blondie (with Julie on board) and my man Pivo. Annie, the orphan kitten who turned up on the doorstep a few months ago, surprised us by delivering five very cute kittens very quickly. My brother Terry has just moved from Dublin to the country life too, and got Danté, a beautiful rough collie pup. They came to visit last week, and the presence of a blue-blooded pedigree-papered gentlemen left Ossie and Henry feeling very common.

More wedding pics to come over the next day or two.

Maura & Declan's Wedding

2008-10-08T09:25:00.009+01:00

Maura and Declan got married in Knock recently. Unfortunately, the day was typical of this summer and it rained persistently. We'd hoped to go over to the Basilica gardens to take a few shots but the rain was sweeping sideways across the plaza. Nevertheless, we made the most of it and everyone had a great time back in the McWilliams Hotel in Claremorris.

I like the activity you always get in the Bride's house on the morning of a wedding , as people grab a cup of tea, finalise make-up, knot ties and try to get the kids ready.

Even the hardy Knock pilgrims were staying indoors -

Strokestown House

2008-09-22T15:55:00.006+01:00

I had a wander around the grounds of Strokestown House the other morning. It contains a Famine Museum, but that wasn't open while I was there, so I settled for a few exterior pictures.

Anne & Ed

2008-08-22T11:04:00.012+01:00

Here are some pictures from Anne & Ed's recent wedding. Ed is back in Connecticut at the moment, so I hope he'll enjoy seeing these. We had a great day and for once this year it hardly rained at all and we managed to get out into the grounds of the Ramada Hotel on the shores of Lough Allen.

2008-07-23T22:24:00.000+01:00

Aoife & Alan

2008-07-04T19:48:00.004+01:00

Aoife & Alan will get married three weeks from today. I met them last night in the Abbey Hotel to have a chat about the big day. We had a few minutes before the rain came down to grab a couple of pictures, but it was long enough to know there'll be plenty of smiles on the 25th, so I'm really looking forward to it.