When Camera-Boy met Fire-Ball Girl

Firstly, a huge thanks to everyone who has commented on my latest series of pictures from Sligo. In just one day I’ve had comments on my website, my bebo profile, emails, text messages and even a phone call about the shots! It’s great to know people like my work, especially when I’m trying out new styles and techniques which brings me to my next point.

I’m not usually one for New Years resolutions, they’re usually just a test of patience and I never really succeed at the goal. So this year I decided I would spend 2008 experimenting with different styles of photography and broaden my horizons.

I’m officially over the two year mark working with KilkennyMusic and in just two short years I’ve learned so much about photography and worked with so many cool people, but I was starting to get bored. It’s not that I think I’ve mastered music photography but I just needed to shoot something different for a change. Over the past two years I’ve shot several great bands from Mullingar; the likes of Clergy, Innate, Waiting to Explode, New York Fashion Week, the Aftermath…the list goes on, all great bands and masters of various genres. At KKM we call it “the Mullingar Connection” and we always wonder “what the hell they’re putting in the water in Mullingar!?”

Whilst the secret water ingredient may still be Mullingar’s second best kept secret, let me introduce you to the first; the multi-talented Tanya O’Callaghan or as I like to call her “Fire-Ball Girl“. I met Tanya through the “Mullingar Connection” and over the last week we finally met up to begin working on the various projects we’ve talked about for months. I’ve just uploaded photos from our first photo-shoots; experimenting with fire and slow-shutter speeds. I have to say I’m very happy with the first attempt and the results. It’s not easy and I’ve still got alot to figure out.

For anybody attempting to shoot somebody dancing with fire (or Poi) then here’s a couple of POInters (bad pun intended):

Firstly, it’s dangerous! If you don’t know what you’re doing then don’t do it. If you’re lucky enough to know somebody who can spin fire and pull off moves I thought only possible in the Matrix then here’s a handy thing to remember: Try to time how long a full spin takes, for example 1 second. Then set your shutter speed according to how long you want the trail of fire to be in your shots. Shooting at a 1 second exposure will allow you to get a full circle of flame, slowing down the exposure will then allow your trails to become longer and damn impressive.

So have a look at our first attempts, a series I’m calling “When Camera-Boy met Fire-Ball Girl” and as always your feedback is really appreciated. Tell me anything you think about the shots, anything you like or don’t like, advice, critique, anything!

Myself and Tanya have also started working on a series of body art portraits, but it’ll take me a couple of days to work on the shots and get them uploaded. There’s several other future projects planned, everything from promotional shots and alternative portraits to working with body paint and of course more fire shots.

And finally a huge thanks to Tanya for putting up with me constantly sticking a camera in her face, I can’t wait for your next visit. It appears I’ve found a muse.