Photographer Profile #24 - The Baz

thebaz

My name is Barry Delaney , I'm a

Where to start ? , Grew up mainly in Dun Laoghaire; found school difficult with untreated dyslexia , when I realised I was not good eneogh to be a top athlete / musician, never mind academic , told career guidance I wanted to be a journalist for the NME , he laughed - I then became a punk, left school & just went wild, before heading unskilled around the world.

On departure my Grandmother gave me my first camera - took some shots of New York / traversed America shooting in my untrained manner, but i liked it, even if i didn't know what i was really doing.
When MTV exploded in the early 80s , I reckoned a video filmmaker was my calling/ got accepted to film school on a stills portfolio, but couldn't afford it.
Somehow ended up working with computers - enjoyed parts of it, in particular my Apple contract work and a stint in Microsoft. Around 1991 got married had my 2 kids , and pretty much stopped my photography and travelling.
After the millenium I got divorced started drinking heavily, and things started to fall apart - I did buy an Olympus digital camera around this time and began experimenting, again.
I got sober early 2006 and began seeing things differently - the landscape of Dublin had changed . Bought an Nikon slr and did a course in photography at the Institute of Photography, to help me understand my camera- and then spent 2007 just taking pictures of Dublin:-









I found boards so helpful in those earlier days ; prompted and encouraged by a few members, I put on an exhibition at the end of 2007, despite all my self doubt.
Throughout 2008 , everything just seamed to come together - I won various awards and became known for an edgy street/social style.

I then decided to try my hand shooting the local entertainment scene, as I wanted to show an other side to life - I photographed music for 5 years - starting out with Iggy and ending up with the Stones at Glastonbury :-





Did a DIY book on my 5 years on and off the road :-
http://www.blurb.com/b/4920950-dim-the-lights-the-show-must-start

If 2008 was my 15 minutes of fame , the last few years has been a struggle , trying to capture that innocense of those early days, along with many let downs - I keep trying , but i dont know if it just me, but street photography seams to be getting more & more difficult, year by year.

Two years ago I returned to America , criss/crossed the states by Greyhound bus , and put together another book :-
http://www.blurb.com/b/4762027-americans-anonymous

This image from San Francisco got selected last year for the Rua Red Open Call :-



A couple of years ago following a few incidents I became disallusioned alltogether with street photography , but promted by friends and mentors , I persevered !
I did up a script for a short documnentary , which was accepted by RTE , so I finally became that filmmaker - I co-produced it, and it was broadcast last year - I am now working independently with another filmmaker on my next documentary , mums the word.

I'm still sober , swim the sea most days, thanks to Tim (The Master of the 40 Foot) :-



Last summer around the heatwave, I started taking pictures again of Dublin city (Home) :-



Six years on, Im having a small exhibition at the Centre for Creative Practice , Pembroke st, Dublin in the 3rd week of January- you're all more than welcome, to the opening on the 23rd -its a celebration of life, with nothing for sale.
Boards helped me so much when I started out , I dont use it much no more, I'm probably too emotional and misundstood (I think I'm much nicer in real life).
I question the whole idea of good and bad photography , and am inspired by Robert Frank's Americans more than anything, and the whole DIY ethos of punk (its in the soul man)

My images are available on :-
http://pix.ie/thebaz/
and
http://500px.com/bazdelaney/sets

Influences are :- Robert Frank, Fergus Bourke, HCB portraits, Taxi Driver, Jack Kerouac, The Clash - as the great Joe Strummer said - Don't forget your alive .
Some anonymous student probably best sums up what I try to achieve with my photography :-

Delaney’s photography are very simplistic but compel a sense of realness and are packed with emotion



Happy Christmas & New Year

PhinglasPhil

Merry Christmas to you too! (And thanks for sharing.)

secman

Hi barry

met you recently at the TPS where you gave a very interesting talk about street photo .
Best of luck with the exhibition in January and needless to say with sobriety too . Like to swim in the sea too but only from may to October for me !
Secman

thebaz

secman wrote: »

Hi barry
needless to say with sobriety too . Like to swim in the sea too but only from may to October for me !
Secman

at times Sobriety makes street photography seam easy - but without it , ther would be no photography, nevermind films -

pullandbang

Love your stuff Barry and good luck with the new video. Look forward to the expo in the new year too.

AnimalRights

Barry was my influence for street photography and 1st great 'photography hero'

Art Deko

Great profile. Fantastic reading and viewing.

kjt

I loved reading your story Barry. It offered a great insight and some serious truthfulness many wouldn't dare to share. I've always loved your work. You show a fantastic connection with the people you photograph. Keep up the great work!!

D.S.

Fantastic photos Barry - really great stuff in there. Great profile read - thanks for sharing...

EyeCake

Great inspiring story and photos
Thank you for sharing and good luck for the future

thebaz

thanks all for the kind words -

Kyle - I think for what I try to do integrity is so important, helps me make that connection - the ability to communicate as a photographer with the subject, is more important than any technical ability, in my book.

Janer - I love you too ;-)

Mjollnir

Two things, right off:

A. The single most important bit: you're still sober. My work brings me into frequent contact with people who never will be. I applaud you and determination.
B. Greyhound across America?!?!? What a balls-out fantastic way to see the country, and (despite the PITA factor) why didn't I think of that? Nice. The middle of this country is easily the most unknown to the rest of the world.
E. Great shots.

W0LFMAN

Great, Keep going.... Fantastic.... Merry Xmas

shrapnel222

been following you on flickr for a long time now. absolutely love some of your shots. street shots with soul.

if i can i'll try and come round in january.

Lyaiera

I've tried street photography once or twice. Once was during a Paddy's day parade. Another time was walking around Cork on a cold and windy Autumn day. I took a picture that day that will always stand out to me (the picture was crap but the experience was worth everything...)

I was walking around taking pictures while thinking about where I'd turn next. A woman with a child in a buggy and a kid walking next to it was walking in front of me but seemed to anticipate every turn I was going to make. It was like she was stalking me from in front. The kid's were playing and the mother seemed in no way annoyed at their exuberance, although I was quite annoyed at the weather and my lack of shot in the bag. Eventually I gathered the courage to ask them for a photo, courage which I had been gathering for three streets. She asked me "Why?" and I was 100% honest in saying "You look really happy and content." She posed for the picture and I left her go, I should have taken another two in hopes that one would come out with hair in her face. I developed the film and found the photograph just didn't "work." But I'll always remember that photowalk while wishing I was talented enough for the photograph to represent what experience meant to me.

That's what your pictures remind me of. Well done on your tale. It doesn't sound perfect but it does sound worthwhile.

asark

agree with previous post. street photography is very challenging in terms of ethics, you feel like you are invading someone's space.