Family Photography

Caoimhe - Newborn Baby Shoot /  by Jan

“Ballyhooly... no clue, let me check Google Maps. Oh right, between Mallow and Fermoy. I’ve never been there!”

Were my first thoughts. I was booked to do an ‘at home’ baby shoot and I couldn’t have gone on a better day. It felt like the first summer’s day of the year. Skies so blue, it felt fake. Warm air, all the grass looked so much greener than usual, and that warm, summer’s wind... What a day!

But before we get into the shoot, I want to skip ahead and already share the 5-star Google review Anne-Marie left me, because it’s just absolutely hilarious:

“Jan did the most amazing job on a Newborn Photoshoot for our 5 week old daughter. We had such a fun time during the shoot, as Jan embraced the madness and made it look like we have some control over our toddler and dog who joined in on the shoot. The resulting photographs are better than I could have hoped for and the session itself created fantastic memories for us as a family. Jan was a pleasure to work with and we will be looking for excuses to book him again!”

It had me roaring when I first read it! And Anne-Marie was right, with the dog and the whole family involved, it wasn’t the easiest shoot but it was a very fun one.

Usually with a baby shoot at home, I tend to do at least half of the shoot, if not most of the shoot indoors. But with the garden that Anne-Marie and Kevin have, and the previously mentioned, gorgeous day, I decided to leave all of my lighting gear in the boot of the car, and do this baby shoot purely outdoors. I think it only made sense, especially seeing the results.

Little Coaimhe was a great little subject for the shoot, while her big brother, Rory, was running around to his own rules. I think my favourite photos of this day are mom, Anne-Marie and Caoimhe on the chair next to the tree, and the whole family, including dog, walking towards me. Although seeing dad, Kevin, and big brother, Rory, on the swing together is also a high contender.

The great thing with these ‘at home’ newborn baby shoots is that I get to photograph families in their own environment. This makes it so much easier for their parents, often new mothers and fathers, and I get to provide them with unique photos with their homes as a slice of history that might be more meaningful to them. I really enjoy dipping into these environments and working with the challenges these new locations provide.

If you would like to book me for a newborn baby shoot, you can say hi to me here and we can get you booked in!

Longueville House - Historic Family Vacation Photography /  by Jan

It was a cold winter day, the air was brisk but the sun really came out in full force for this shoot, shining its golden rays, which I was very thankful for! I love sunny and warm looking photos!

The shooting location; the Longueville House. An over 300 year old Georgian country house situated just outside of Mallow in County Cork.

I had the pleasure of photographing this large family group who came to Ireland on a big family vacation. And what a way to vacation in a historic mansion like this. Consisting of 21 family members, this wasn’t an easy task to capture so many people! So, I broke it down into groups.

First we started with a group photo of everyone on the beautiful steps at the front entrance. It’s always great to get the whole family together once in a while, which makes a group photo essential!

We then headed indoors. Using my professional lighting setup, we captured some indoor moments in this incredible living room, oozing with historic charm. Here we did some group photos that mixed the individual families, like the grandad with all the grandkids, or the grandad with his adult kids, and more.

After those photos were done, I was able to focus on each individual family and/or couple, capturing such fun and relaxed photos. Even the farm dogs got involved in some shots, much to the delight of not only the kids but also the adults! These springer spaniels were living their best lives on this 400 acre property.

With so many beautiful corners and spots at the Longueville House, I was able to give each family their own unique set of photos in different locations. One family got the greenhouse, the others got to go to the vintage courtyard, the others to the gardens. It was so a joy to work with such a fun family at such a gorgeous venue.

It was effortless. Laughter echoed, jokes flowed, and everyone was just themselves. No rigid poses or forced smiles; just a group of individuals enjoying each other's company. And I think it really shows in the photos. It felt more like a casual gathering than a formal photo shoot.

Good times, good vibes, and a camera capturing it all.

5-star Google Review

They even left me this lovely 5-star Google review:

“We gave Jan a challenge - to photograph our family of 21 people, ages 2-80, at Longueville House. He rose to the challenge and then some!

Jan is not only talented and creative, he’s also a lot of fun to work with. He scouted several locations around the property and captured each group beautifully.

I’m so happy that I found the Save The Journey website and reached out to Jan to capture our memories. He was quick to respond and professional though out the process, including returning all of our edited photos in less than a week.

Do yourself a favor and book Jan for your photography session!”
— Sheila

So if you would like to book me for a vacation family photo shoot or a family reunion, say hi to me here. I look forwarding to meeting you and the family!

70th Birthday at FOTA Island Golf Club Cork /  by Jan

Birthdays are always special occasions and a great opportunity to invite your favourite people and have a big party. Having said that, some birthdays are bigger than others, and in my experience as a photographer, the 70th birthday always seems to be the most celebrated!

Yvonne's 70th birthday party took place at the illustrious FOTA Island Golf Club, just outside Cork city. With the event room placed right next to the lovely greenery and on the edge of the golf course, it wasn’t just a lovely venue but also a blast to photograph. The place was buzzing with more than 100 guests. It was a mix of family and friends, all ready to celebrate Yvonne’s big day. And you could tell she was having a great time, running around welcoming each group of guests that were arriving and introducing everyone to each other. This made capturing the event a breeze!

It’s magic!

As part of the entertainment of this evening, there was also a magician roaming around, delighting the guests with fun magic tricks. People were laughing and freaking out in equal measure by these party tricks. As you can tell by their reactions, it got a great reaction!

Yvonne was also absolutely delighted with her presents, being gifted several art pieces from local artists. It's always so much fun to see someone really enjoying their special day.

Now, let's talk decorations; from a wall full of donuts calling your name, fancy cocktails flowing, and the name "Yvonne" was shining in mirrored letters. Plus, there was a photo backdrop where guests could snap selfies with funky sunglasses and hats, or have me do a photo shoot with them.

I moved through the crowd, capturing all of these lovely, candid moments of laughter, cheers, and the occasional gasp of amazement from the magician, it was a blast to be a part of this birthday party.

Yvonne's turning 70, but you wouldn't know it from the energy in those photos. Here's to keeping the party going!