Season to be cheerful.

Is the title of our latest published work in the December 2014 issue of 25 Beautiful Homes magazine…

.. on pages 78 to 81 – featuring Amanda and Keith McGuile’s seaside Victorian terrace which overlooks Bangor Marina in County Down.

“Amanda and Keith McGuile’s home is beautiful all year round, but it takes on a magical air over the festive period.”

Which we talked about shooting at the time here: Shabby Chic Christmas.

Anyway, when Marie received her copy of the magazine last week, she emailed me to say:

My advance copy has arrived – they kind of bleached out Amanda’s a wee bit and I LOVE it 🙂

I love it too – looks amazing – so I’d just like to say a big thanks to everyone involved and especially to Amanda & Keith for once again inviting us into their beautiful home – not forgetting their son Bailey here…

.. who as always, was the real Star of the show.

So thank you from Marie, Mandy & me @ ampimage.com – as it’s definitely now the season to be cheerful

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Waiting Game.

Is the title of our current published work in the November 2014 issue of 25 Beautiful Homes magazine…

.. on pages 93 to 96 – featuring Fiona and Brian Shiells’ architectural new build near Dungannon in County Tyrone.

“Nestled in the heart of the Ulster countryside, Jane and Brian Shiells’ ideal home was 10 years in the making – it was well worth the wait.”

Which we talked about shooting at the time here: Little to do here.

Anyway, when Marie received her copy a few days ago, she emailed me to say:

Not a huge spread but quite dramatic – think you’ll be pleased 🙂

After the waiting game to get this result, I’m very pleased – so I’d just like to say a big thanks to everyone involved and especially to Brian & his wife here…

.. for once again inviting us into their amazing home – which is definitely very different to their last home I shot back 2001 – which as you can see here from this image of their hand-painted staircase…

.. which I always loved, was equally amazing and very dramatic too.

So thank you from Marie, Mandy & me @ ampimage.com – as this was definitely worth the wait.

20 year anniversary.

‘Recalled To Life’ is the title of our latest published work which can be seen on the cover and in the November 2014 issue of Ireland’s Homes Interiors & Living magazine…

.. on pages 84 to 94 – featuring Fiona and Conor O’Kane’s detached Victorian Gentleman’s residence in Belfast.

“Fiona and Conor saw past the dubious décor and overgrown ivy-clad walls of this faded Victorian gentleman’s residence in Belfast to restore its sparkle with stylish and practical interiors.”

Which we talked about here: Gentleman’s residence when we shot it.

Anyway, it was the magazine’s 20th-anniversary issue – so it was really great to see after all these years that we were still able to make it onto their cover, as we were on the cover of their very first issue too…

.. as well as inside on pages 44 to 51, which featured Whinstone Cottage near Mount Stewart in Newtownards.

A massive achievement – and with over 4.5 million sales too – a big Congratulations is definitely in order.

Hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Mike first came to see me about this wee idea he had to start a magazine.

From that first cover to his latest, that wee idea become huge – and has therefore created many opportunities since and opened up a lot of doors too – which I would personally like to thank him for.

Plus congratulations to Fiona and Conor once again, for this time, making it into this beautifully printed Irish glossy magazine, which is jam-packed with homes, features and competitions… and 20 years in the making too

Way to go everyone, from Marie, Mandi & me @ ampimage.com

Selling the dream.

Wagon packed…

.. as we were heading down to shoot in County Westmeath near Athlone this week, at the Hodson Bay Hotel – after getting a request to produce 4 images for them to use to help market & advertise their place.

The first was to be the penthouse suite set-up as a honeymoon suite, as promoting weddings was top of their list.

So having arrived the evening before, we talked things over with them again and decided to go for something a wee bit different to what we had originally planned, after Marie here…

.. thought this would make for a great bridal shot.

What was she thinking, I hear you say – well it involved getting up very early the next following morning…

.. and then wait for the sun to rise.

So while Claudio here – our assistant for the day, who we only contacted the day before via the Photography Ireland forum – stood in…

.. I set-up the camera and started to light it as best I could, while keeping my fingers crossed.

As timing was going to be everything here – as we watched the sun rising…

.. the bride appeared…

.. and so it was all hands on board…

.. as I knew this golden light or ‘first light’ as it’s sometimes called, wouldn’t last for more than a couple of minutes.

Beautiful…

.. but so too was the view…

.. which at the end of the day was very much their unique selling point – which was amazing too.

“Sometimes you sell the sizzle, sometimes you sell the steak”

Is an old saying about Advertising photography – so I decided to add some sizzle…

.. which Marie when she saw it later emailed me to say: 

Wow wow wow wow 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

 .. and Aidan from the hotel called ‘stunning’ & ‘iconic’

As this was about selling the dream – which is actually real, even if one may never be able to capture it quite like this

More to follow – as this was to be a long day – but what a start, so I’ll leave it at that for now, as it was time for some breakfast.

Cheers from Marie, Claudio & me at the Hodson Bay Hotel, which as you can see…

.. now really is situated on the shores of Lough Ree near Athlone in the ​Irish county of Westmeath