Location: Castlemartyr Resort. Occasion: 70th Birthday. Nations: Three and a Kingdom.
“How have I never been to the Castlemartyr resort?” I ask myself. Well, I am on of those idiots who always just drives through Castlemartyr impatienlty to finally get to Garryvoe beach or Ballycotton. The latter either for the cliff walk, or to go to one of the best fish ‘n chips shops; Skinnys.
Well, I am one of those people who also decides they need to go for a swim at Garryvoe beach after their shoot at the Castlemartyr Resort as well. I guess, I just can’t be in this corner of the world and not go to the beach or the lighthouse!
I love photographing these family reunions, especially after all the lockdowns. Often, it is at these special family occasions that I am busy photographing at, that families are meeting again for the first time. This family was split across three nations and a kingdom; obviously Ireland (originating from Dublin), then America and Belgium, as well as the kingdom of Kerry. For the first time in years, this family could be complete, hailing from these four corners of the world.
They were all just happy to be together and enjoy each other’s company, while getting some high quality family portrait photos by a professional photographer; me. I must admit, this was one of the most relaxed shoots I have ever had. I can’t remember photographing a family that was so immensely relaxed and so genuinely happy to just being together. Although, the good weather probably helped a lot too! But it was beautiful to see such genuine behaviour.
After the group photos were taken, I was asked to just get some photos of the kids playing and running around. When suddenly this happened:
All by themselves, the kids collectively decided they wanted their own group photo. Without talking much about it, they all gathered together and I got these fantastic shots. Kids are so unpredictable sometimes. Sometimes in a negative way, sometimes in a fantastically positive way.
I took so many photos of the children, asked the family if they wanted anymore photos, they happily declined, absolutely content with the shots that I had already gotten. I said goodbye, faced by a sea of smiling faces and waves, and left. To me it felt like an abrupt ending, having expected that they wanted more photos than they actually did.
The birthday balloon went on it’s own journey that day:
Walking back to the car, “I guess I’ll go for a swim so.” Later I saw that I had still taken over 400 photos. It didn’t feel like it at all!
A couple of days later, after editing and sending off the photos, I received back this message, “Hi Jannik, thanks so much for that they are lovely photos and I know the others will be delighted. I love the shots you got of the kids they are lovely. Well done again on getting so many little kids to cooperate!”
Job well done, so! It’s always heart-warming to get such positive feedback. Till next time!
