Photographer Profile #22 - condra

#1 · 15-11-2013 4:08am #1

The idea of these threads is to give some insight as to how some of your fellow photographers operate. Each person invited will write about their photography and provide some examples. This thread will be sticky for about a fortnight (longer if needed) During this time feel free to comment and ask questions. Please allow the subject to answer questions and do not do so on their behalf.
While this process is taking place, the subject will approach the next person to be highlighted. Please keep this secret and do not prompt.
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Hey everyone.

Right off the bat, I must state how completely out of my depth I am in the company of the other photographers featured so far. But I've spent most of 2013 out my of depth, and it's a place I've grown to appreciate.
Cheers also to Dave for selecting me. Those strobes must have damaged your eyes!

My name is Declan Murphy, a Glasnevin man, which tells you nothing about me other than that I grew up near a graveyard, and have taken too many photos in the National Botanic Gardens. I'm 33 with an older mans body and a little kids mind, mostly.

I started taking photography more seriously when I treated myself to a Canon 5d mkII last December. Between ongoing health problems, financial difficulty and personal issues, I was glad to leave 2012 behind. The camera was more than I could afford, but I had caught the bug during the year and needed a distraction. I would never have guessed back then what a year I was about to have with this little black box. I've made dozens of new friends, learned a lot, and had a blast.

I started with the usual days out with a Niftty Fifty, taking mediocre bokehlicious portraits of inanimate objects. It was invaluable however in nailing down the technical stuff, imprinting it in my brain. It didn't take long to realise that I wanted to shoot people, so I went out and bought a couple of Yongnuo flashes, a brolly, and some triggers. I had to find some willing subjects however.

Around Spring 2013, the sleepy "Dublin Strobist" Facebook group fell victim to my growing obsessive enthusiasm, and before long, I was organising group shoots with aspiring models, photographers and make-up artists.
Absolute chaos, and amazing fun.

It was through this community engagement that I came to know Sean Conroy and Dave Kavanagh.
I cannot overstate how grateful I am to know these gentlemen. They have been continually inspiring and motivating. I am eternally indebted for the encouragement, for the tips, and for the laughs.

I'm starting to get some paid work now, but still consider myself an amateur. Continually learning is a passion anyway. I never want to be that person who sits on his laurels, or cops out with some line about how subjective his "art" is.

I am my own biggest critic. Coming from a Graphic Design background, I'm much more interested in aesthetics than deeper meaning.
My goal with my personal work is to create something truly beautiful, and I feel I've a long way to go yet, but I'm enjoying the journey.

I've gone full circle from bokeh obsession, through location strobist, and arriving back where I mostly use natural light. Recently more and more, I'm experimenting with post processing, compositing, multiple exposures, concepts and narrative..

I feel like I'm getting closer to finding my "style". I'm a huge fan of photographers Brooke Shaden, Erik Almas, and Lara Jade, although their work is quite different from one another.

So anyway, lest I go on about myself any more… what have I learned this year that wasn't in the manual?

1 - Hot chocolate is to model what spinach is to Popeye.
2 - Adobe Bridge is actually awesome.
3 - Other photographers are not your competition. They're the people who pass opportunities your way if you're nice to them.
4 - Reflectors are actually awesome.
5 - Rain is to model what Kryptonite is to Superman

Gear:
Canon 5d mkII, 40mm 2.8, 50mm 1.8, 85mm 1.8, Tamron 28-75. Flash, brolly, reflector, etc.

Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling. You can see more of my work here:
https://www.facebook.com/shootdublin