O&R - Garryvoe Wedding Photographer /  by Jan

A wedding at the Garryvoe Hotel. Strange, usually when I’m in east Cork for a wedding it’s in Ballycotton.

This was my first wedding of the year between Oisín and Rachel. It was still winter, in the middle of February, so too cold for cliff backgrounds or beach photos, but we did have the lovely, cozy warm ambiance of the Garryvoe Hotel.

I always like to highlight three things that stood out to me at a wedding.

1) An Indoor Couple Shoot

I have done partial couple shoots indoors or unexpected ones indoors because the weather changed suddenly but this was a couple shoot I planned from the get go to be inside. With the Garryvoe Hotel having this lovely library that I could set up as a photography studio with my lighting equipment was amazing! As always, I had to move some furniture out of the way with the help of some strong waiters but the effort was worth it and I love how these photos came out!

Before every wedding, I get in do a video call with the couple to get to know them and to understand what’s important to them on their big day. Oisín and Rachel had mentioned that as much as they wanted to have a couple shoot, it wasn’t something that was that important to them. This isn’t uncommon and those couples often find it more important to be around friends and family. And I absolutely understand that, so this couple shoot actually just took 10 minutes. They were delighted. They had some beautiful shots of them as a newly wed couple and didn’t miss a thing.

2) The ‘Friends’ Ceremony

Oisín and Rachel had such a laid back and funny ceremony, no doubt because of the celebrant who did a fantastic job on the day. But amazingly, it turned out that the celebrant was the uncle. Because of that he was able to create such a unique ceremony for them and part of that was reading out Joey’s (from Friends) best man speech:

“We are gathered here today on this joyous occasion to celebrate the special love that Oisín and Rachel share.

It is a love based on giving and receiving as well as having and sharing. And the love that they give and have is shared and received. And through this having and giving and sharing and receiving, we too can share and love and have... and receive…”

It had everyone in stitches!

3) The Entrance Song

This was just a small element of the day, but it stood out to me. When entering the dinner hall for the speeches and the dinner, couples will often have a special entrance for that moment, sometimes accompanied by music. On this day, Oisín and Rachel chose a very untypical song for a wedding; “The Next Episode” by Dr Dre featuring Snoop Dogg.

They came dancing out, absolutely loving it. They really made their big day uniquely theirs, and I love to see that!

5-star Google Review

Rachel left us a lovely review, I thought I’d share it here.

“We would highly recommend Jan and Nikki to anyone looking for a wedding photographer.
They were very professional and attentive and truly made us feel at ease. The photos are brilliant and we got them back very fast.
Thanks again Jan and Nikki”
— Rachel

If you would like to tempt me away from Ballycotton and shoot at the Garryvoe or somewhere else in east Cork, say hi to me here for wedding packages and the chance to book in for a video call with me.

See more photos from this lovely Garryvoe wedding down below!

Garryvoe Wedding Photos - Ceremony

Garryvoe Wedding Photos - Getting Ready

Garryvoe Wedding Photos - Reception

Garryvoe Wedding Photos - Speeches

Yoga vs Pilates - Marketing Photographer Cork /  by Jan

I’m breaking new ground with this blog post. For the first time I’m combining two shoots into one post. I only thought it would make sense. So let’s kick off this new oddity!

When I’m not photographing weddings, couples, families or babies, I do a bit of corporate and commercial photography as well. People starting businesses or with existing businesses will approach me for some photography work. They need photos to market and advertise their business online, either on their own website and/or on Instagram.

In this post, I thought it would be great to combine the work I did for NOLA Therapy & Yoga, with Reform Pilates Cork. Both studios are focused on self-improvement through health and fitness, so they naturally fit together into one blog post quite well.

“We’ve done both family and professional photos with Jan and both have exceeded our expectations! Jan is very talented and the photos are incredible. He’s also so easy to work with and very friendly. This makes the photo sessions relaxed and comfortable, which make yours and his ideas/vision turn out great. We were so happy with our family photos that we had him take photos of our yoga studio and physio space as well. His pricing is right on point, you get great value for what you spend. We will definitely use him again in the future!”
— Madeleine

NOLA Yoga

“Madeleine also had a very clear idea of the things she wanted to highlight about her yoga studio, which was especially her baby yoga classes.”

Brand Marketing Photography

Before doing a brand marketing photo shoot like this, I’ll discuss with the client on a) what they would like to advertise or highlight with these photos and b) where they’ll be displayed. For instance, using the photos mainly for Instagram stories would require the photos to be in portrait orientation, and if they would like to add in text with class times and other details, it would be massively beneficial to have a good amount of empty space in the photos to facilitate that. For websites, a more traditional landscape orientation might work better.

NOLA in particular were very adamant that they needed the photos for printed posters and Instagram posts that would allow a lot of information. We can see that here:

This is why I kept their photos very simple in terms of the content shown in them. There weren’t a lot of objects that I included in the photos and we spent a lot of time stripping away as much as possible. The photos are hence devoid of any clutter and they really work well for that purpose. I just had the main instructor, Madeleine in the images, without any clients. This kept everything minimalist and clean, allowing her to fill the images herself.

Madeleine also had a very clear idea of the things she wanted to highlight about her yoga studio, which was especially her baby yoga classes. Having this clear direction really helped.

With Reform Pilates however, the intention was more to show off the facilities and the equipment. So while I still kept the photos clear of as much clutter as possible, I didn’t shy away from filling the image with more people and objects and equipment. I used the lines of the equipment and the room itself to create aesthetically pleasing geometry, incorporating leading lines to draw you in and playing around with shapes. This was really fun to do. I also used a wide angle lens for some more dramatic looking shots in comparison to the yoga photo shoot.

Reform Pilates

“I used the lines of the equipment and the room itself to create aesthetically pleasing geometry…”

I am doing more and more of these kind of shoots for local businesses and working professionals. I also have a very fun photo shoot coming up soon which I am very much looking forward to share on my blog as soon as it’s done.

So if you need photos to advertise and market your business online, say hi to me here. I’d be happy to help you grow your business and show potential clients what you are all about!

Louis and Laura - Glucksman Wedding Photographer /  by Jan

5-star Google Review

I’m gonna kick off this blog in a bit of a different way and start with Laura’s 5-star Google review:

“We had the absolute pleasure of working with Jan for our wedding photography last month. From start to finish, working with Jan was seamless. He captured the essence of our day perfectly and we are just delighted with the photos. We were also so impressed by the quick turnaround time. I would absolutely recommend Jan and I hope we have the opportunity to work together again in future!”
— Laura

The Glucksman Wedding Ceremony and UCC couple shoot

As a photographer, I've had the privilege of capturing many beautiful moments, but Laura and Louis's wedding at the Glucksman Art Gallery was truly something special. Nestled on the University College Cork (UCC) campus, this wasn't your typical wedding venue – and that's what made it magical. A wedding in an art gallery? That’s very cool.

The Glucksman Gallery provided a stunning backdrop for their ceremony, with its contemporary architecture and artistic surroundings creating an unforgettable setting.

There was a ring warming, an opportunity for guests to pass around the rings and fill them with love and good wishes – a beautiful ritual that symbolises the community's support for Laura and Louis's union. They also incorporated a hand binding ceremony, another deeply symbolic tradition that literally tied them together.

Ring warming

“There was a ring warming, an opportunity for guests to pass around the rings and fill them with love…”

A playful element was brought to the ceremony: their younger guests were given bells and were under strict instructions to keep quiet until the perfect moment. As Laura and Louis shared their first kiss as a married couple, the air suddenly erupted with the sound of ringing bells.

The Glucksman Gallery's entrance proved to be the perfect spot for group photos. With the stunning UCC architecture in the background, we captured some truly memorable shots of the couple as well. Laura and Louis opted for a smaller couple shoot, if you’d like to see more couple shoots in UCC you can click here.

Emergency refreshments

A little top up of food and water for the bride and groom halfway through the couple shoot.

The celebration continued at Henchy's, one of Cork's most beloved pubs – a quintessentially Irish ending to a quintessentially Cork wedding. As a photographer, I always love the moments after the formal part of the day, when everyone relaxes and truly enjoys themselves. The traditional music – a vibrant mix of guitars, violins, and accordions – created the perfect atmosphere.

Wedding Afterparty at John Henchy & Sons

Being a local wedding, with Laura hailing from Ireland, the day felt like a true celebration of Cork and its traditions. And of course, what's a pub photo session without capturing a few shots with the celebratory drinks?

Some of my favourite photographs from the day capture the pure joy and relaxed atmosphere – especially those candid moments in Henchy's that really showcase the spirit of the celebration.

If you are looking for a wedding photographer for your special day, and you’re looking for someone fun, calm and professional? Say hi to me here for my wedding packages, I’d love to hear from you!