Info: For the second year running here on REMY we celebrate the incredible work of Irish-based music photographers. Last year's post was a huge success, and went on to become the second most viewed article on the blog of all time. In a somewhat lengthy intro last year I went into detail on the importance of the role of the photographer as an archivist, how a picture moves far beyond what words can ever describe, and the sheer dedication, time and passion involved in capturing a magic moment, so I won't digress further on this occasion!
I would however, like to offer my sincere thanks to all of the music photographers who contributed to this post, I massively appreciate their time and effort in sourcing a photo which means something special to them. Scouring through an entire years work is no easy feat, and once again I am in awe of their talent and dedication to their craft. We rightly celebrate our wonderful musicians often, so it's only right that we take the time to appreciate the wonderful people behind the camera lens also! To them, I am most grateful.
The below collection of photographs were taken by photographers who are based in Ireland for the most part of the year (although some may spend more time on tour than at home!). They are from all levels, full-time professionals to gifted beginners and everywhere in between. As with last year's post, I have placed them in alphabetical order by artist, with the inclusion of website / social media links for each photographer, do give them a follow, you won't be disappointed!
Note: All photos were kindly provided by the below photographers with permission purely for this post and cannot be reproduced elsewhere without their permission.
1) Miguel Ruiz Manzano - Ash - Electric Picnic - August
Photo by Miguel Ruiz Manzano
Website: http://www.foxontheroad.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miguel_ruiz/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Migu3l_Ruiz
"Ash is not only my favourite Irish band, but Tim Wheeler is one of the best songwriters and performers of his generation.
This pic sums up Wheeler's personality: the kindest guy in the music industry, and a man who can really rock out his iconic Gibson Epiphone Flying V on the main stage of Electric Picnic."
2) Jack Farrell - Bicurious - Whelan's - March
Photo by Jack Farrell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack.farrell/
"I was deliberating over what photo to choose for some time but it only felt right to keep it local, considering the wealth of talent in Ireland at the moment with acts across all genres including the likes of Kojaque, Vernon Jane, Kettama and Mango x MathMan.
I chose this shot of Bicurious because I feel it truly captures their raucous nature, both on stage and in the studio. With a heavy hitting support lineup of Tribal Dance, Phazam Haze and Griff of New Secret Weapon, it was easily one of the most enjoyable gigs of the year."
3) Faye Bollard - Broken Brass Ensemble - Knockanstockan - July
Photo by Faye Bollard
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fayebollard/
"I may have mostly selected this photo because I always end up with a stupid grin on my face remembering this gig.
It was the last act on the main stage for the weekend. It got crazy, the band really interacted with the crowd and everyone was loving it.
The guys had everyone running from one side of the field to the other, which might sound draining for Sunday night at a 3 day festival but looking around at how happy everyone was, dancing with people they didn't know, in appreciation of this hyperactive brass band - it really captured the "spirit of Knockanstockan".
4) Glen Bollard - The Coronas - 3Arena - July
Photo by Glen Bollard
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbollardphoto/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gbollardphoto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gbollardphoto/
"This was my debut year as a music photographer. One of the first big opportunities came in the form of one of the first bands I ever saw as a fan, the Coronas. A fellow photographer Alan McCarthy was also working the show, a lot of my knowledge was learned from working with Alan when I first started. He tipped me off that something big was coming as part of the intro. So I set myself up at the end of the catwalk and made sure my settings were on point. Even though the ISO ended up being a little high, I was happy with the result. This snap to me was the real "I am going down the right road" moment that has pushed me to chase this even more. Recently I just covered the 4 Olympia shows for the band in which I got some of my favourite photos yet. This photo however, sticks in my mind as the real turning point."
5) Aaron Corr - David Byrne - 3Arena - October
Photo by Aaron Corr
Website: http://www.aaroncorrphotography.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strangelove1981/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aaron_corr
"I've always been a fan of Talking Heads and David Byrne but up until now I have missed any shows that he has played in Ireland. It was a dream to shoot the first three songs of the show and then kick back to watch it all unfold. The lights were the best, particularly given I had to shoot from a distance and to the sides. It's one of those rare shows where I barely deleted anything when reviewing them after. Not only was this one of the best shows of 2018, it was one of the best shows I've ever seen."
6) Allen Kiely - David Keenan - Body & Soul - June
Photo by Allen Kiely
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/allenkiely
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allenkiely/
7) JB Photography - Dreaming of Jupiter - The Secret Village Festival - August
Photo by John Branagan
"When you're shooting a gig , you only get seconds to find a moment of connection like this."
8) Owen Humphreys - Editors - Vicar Street - October
Photo by Owen Humphreys
Website: https://owen.ie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owen.ie/
9) Peter O'Hanlon - Florence & The Machine - 3Arena - November
Photo by Peter O'Hanlon (for Hot Press)
"After seeing Florence Welch preforming at Electric Picnic back in 2009 (I think), I became an instant fan, to see her climbing the rigging and still keep on singing was amazing. So jump forward 5 years to when the music photography bug bit she was always top of my list. This year I got my chance, and boy did I enjoy it, she prances around like like a ballerina, so I picked a spot and knew she would bound my way eventually. I picked this photo because I just love the movement in it, I know it's probably not the best shot "technically" but I just love the way the light catches her hair and the overall movement of Florence".
10) Carrie Davenport - Franz Ferdinand - BBC Biggest Weekend - Belfast - May
Photo by Carrie Davenport
Website: http://carriedavenport.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriedavenport/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carriedavenport
"I chose this photo because it just makes me smile - it's the most ridiculous looking jump, he looks almost photo-shopped in but it's a real shot and when I caught it I knew it was the shot I'd end up loving from that show! They're a fun band to listen to and to shoot so a photo like this suited them to a tee."
11) She Bop Imagery (Ciara Brennan) - Girlfriend - The Workman's Club - April
Photo by Ciara Brennan
Website: http://shebopimagery.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/shebopimagery
Twitter: http://twitter.com/shebopimagery
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shebopimagery/
"This is a photo of Girlfriend when they supported Pillow Queens in Workman's back in April. This photo really stood out in my mind when I was initially asked to be part of this list but then I went back and forth between some more photos from this year. I've had the best year with photography, I've been to some amazing gigs, launched my website, taken some really fun portraits, spent the summer working at a summer camp in the US as a photographer and teacher and I've worked with some fantastic photographers along the way. The reason why I chose this photo is that this band blows me away every time I see them, their stage presence and their music always captures the crowd. The movement of Hana in this photo is just captivating to me. I hope I get to photograph these girls again in 2019!"
12) Moira Reilly - Grace Jones - Trinity Summer Series - July
Photo by Moira Reilly
Website: http://photoreilly.ie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photoreilly/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/photoreilly
"This set really stands out when I look back on this year of photography, Grace Jones is so spectacular and it was tricky picking a favourite shot from the set. I had heard a lot about how amazing Grace Jones's performances are so when she was announced to perform I got my name down asap. As I was shivering away in my optimistic summer shirt, while the Irish weather did its unpredictable thing, she came straight over to the side of the stage I was at which worked out great! I love this photo in particular with the spotlight above with her hand pointed towards it, almost like she's preaching!"
13) Sean Smyth - The Hot Sprockets - Knockanstockan - July
Photo by Sean Smyth
Website: http://www.seansmyth.ie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sean_smyth/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Sean_Smyth
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeanSmythMedia
"This is a photo that's got a bit of meaning for me. Firstly, my partner, Conor Biddle, was on lighting duty and I always try and catch shows that he's lighting. Secondly, it was taken with my brand new phone a Huawei P20 Pro. It was the first gig I brought it to and I was amazed with how it performed. You don't always need to have a big dSLR to get results. And thirdly, it was taken during The Hot Sprockets' set, which, little did I know at the time, was going to be the last time I's see them perform as a band. Sadly, they've announced that they're winding down."
14) Renate Canga - James Vincent McMorrow - Olympia Theatre - May
Photo by Renate Canga
Website: http://renslens.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/rens.lens
Twitter: https://twitter.com/renslens
"The night I took this photo it was my first time ever being in the pit alongside many other brilliant photographers who I used to admire from afar whenever I attended concerts. Also, James Vincent McMorrow has such an incredible voice it was a pleasure to capture his essence!"
15) Zoë Holman - Kojaque - Knockanstockan - July
Photo by Zoë Holman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoehlmnphoto/
"This is the photo I'm choosing, because it's one of the gigs I remember most. Some gigs, you shoot totally focused on the image you're getting. Some gigs have such an incredible atmosphere, that you can feel the entire crowds energy and it makes capturing it feel electric. It was one of the most engaged crowds of any festival act I shot this summer. "
16) Imagery by RÓ (Róisín Murphy O'Sullivan) - LE BOOM - District 8 - November
Photo by Róisín Murphy O'Sullivan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imagery.by.ro/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imagery.by.ro/
"The band I chose was Le Boom and it was shot in District 8 on the 9th of November 2018. January will mark one year since I decided to give photography a go as a career. I chose this photo because it captured the essence of what live music photography is for me, when you look at a photo and you can feel the energy, excitement and passion that person on stage is feeling and also because it contains a very dear person who gave me the courage to go chase my dream."
17) Kieran Frost - Le Galaxie - Indiependence - August
Photo by Kieran Frost
Website: http://www.frost.ie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frost_ie/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/frost_ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kieranfrostmedia/
"I spent the August Bank Holiday weekend running around Deer Farm in Mitchelstown at Indiependence festival. Le Galaxie were the final act to take to the Big Top stage on the Sunday night… at the end of their final song, the Jurassic Park theme tune played, and this was my final frame, which i think summed up a very fun (and hectic) weekend."
18) Kristy Hal - Little Dragon - Beatyard - August
Photo by Kristy Hal
Website: https://www.kristyhal.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kristyhalphoto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristyhalphoto
"Preparation, determination and just not giving a fuck."
19) Olga Kuzmenko - Mantar - Bloodstock Festival - U.K. - August
Photo by Olga Kuzmenko
Website: https://olgakuzmenko.com/
"I shot this at the Bloodstock Festival in August. One of the things I love about festivals is discovering new bands. I had never heard of Mantar before; a black metal doom punk band comprised of just a drummer and a guitarist/vocalist. I love the juxtaposition of the aggressiveness of the music with the frail skeletal frame of guitarist/vocalist Hanno Klänhard."
20) Stephen White (The Last Mixed Tape) - Nick Cave - Kilmainham - June
Photo by Stephen White
Website: https://thelastmixedtape.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thelastmixedtape
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheLastMixTape
"This may not be the best photo I took in 2018, but it is the most meaningful. For me, photography has always been a passion and a way of communicating visually. I shoot in black and white because I'm colourblind, I shoot live gigs because of my love of music and whenever I shoot I am always looking to capture a moment. However, like a lot of people, I can suffer from burnout which will usually result in me losing sight of that aforementioned passion.
The day Nick Cave came to town, I felt low. For personal reasons. So, when I got the email informing me that I had been granted a photo pass to shoot one of my musical idols, instead of excitement I felt anxiety. I simply didn't want to go, and I definitely did want to photo anything. I mulled over the email for an hour or so before replying and eventually gave in almost on instinct. I was tired, but something in the back of my mind was driving me.
Standing in the pit I tried my best to muster up whatever energy I had left after the three days of Forbidden Fruit that had come before, but a less than stellar round of photoing Patti Smith, who was supporting, had left me deflated. She was brilliant, my photos were not. This all changed when Cave appeared. Strutting down a ramp that led right to the crowd barrier he walked as if he was the embodiment of the music that was now blaring behind him. As he moved towards me and the rest of the photographers at the side of the stage, all the tiredness, anxiety etc was overcome with excitement. I don't take many photos when I'm shooting gigs, so I waited as he came closer and closer until he was literally standing right in front of me gesturing to the crowd. I wanted to capture the sense of presence and command he had, so when I began to point at adoring fans waving white roses at him, I took this photo. The rest of the shoot is a blur.
Afterwards, I walked home with the feeling all live photographers get when they know they've caught something special. It was a hot summer's night as I walked down the Liffey, ears ringing. But in that instance, I remembered why I do whatever it is I do. Those moments are important."
21) Andre Aravena - Nothing But Thieves - The Academy - November
Photo by Andre Aravena
Website: https://www.andreshoots.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andre_shoots/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Andre_Shoots
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndreShoots/
"This photo is of Nothing But Thieves in The Academy in November. These guys are one of my favourite bands and getting to shoot them is not something I will forget anytime soon. I took this shot during the second song they played and I'm really happy with how it turned out. I really love how everything in the background is vibrant and alive while the guitarist ( Joe Langridge-Brown ) seems to be frozen in time. This was shot on my Sony A7 III the setting were 1/200 sec, F2.8, 28mm & ISO 2000."
22) Billy Cahill - Otherkin - Electric Picnic - September
Photo by Billy Cahill
"Its essential that you get to see Otherkin at some stage in your life (musically speaking.) A young band with a mission to conquer all in front of them, a fearless foursome with a magnificent frontman in Luke Reilly, a guitarist with attitude who can walk on air, and he often does exactly that, with help from the legions his loyal fans.
On the go since 2014 this young band have a very impressive list of gigs in a supporting role to bands like Guns 'N" Roses at Slane and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. They have taken on numerous home and European festival tours to spread their words and music. Successful EP's and the wonderful "OK" album followed and most people agree that the only way for them now is megastardom.
Not many bands can claim to have not one but two doctors in their line up so medical emergencies are no bother to these boys. Fantastic to be able to say I shared a stage with Otherkin."
23) Alison Kenny - Pale Waves - The Academy - October
Photo by Alison Kenny
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yellowlensphoto/
"Shooting Pale Waves was one of my highlights of my newfound photography venture this year. They were one of my first "favourite bands" I got to shoot which was so exciting for me. As well as that, the entire shoot went so well, from the supports to the main act, thanks to an incredible light show from start to finish. I was really proud of this silhouette shot of Heather, along with countless others. I found it so hard to only post a few to my Instagram!
I remember being so buzzed after this shoot and couldn't wait to get out and shoot more and see what would come next!"
24) Anamaria Meiu - Post Malone - Longtitude - July
Photo by Anamaria Meiu
Website: http://www.amphotostar.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amphotostar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AMPhotoStar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMPhotoStar
25) SNIPER - Rita Ora - Summer In The City Festival - R.D.S. - June
Photo by SNIPER Design
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sniperdesignsire/
"Rita Ora at Summer in the City, June - a mini day-long festival which also featured John Gibbons, Matoma, Chasing Abbey, Alex & Echoes, and The Chainsmokers at the RDS Dublin."
26) Cathal Mac an Bheatha - Saint Sister - The Olympia - October
Photo by Cathal Mac an Bheatha
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cathalmacan/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cathalmacan
"A last minute front row ticket from a friend led to seeing one of my finest gigs of 2018. Saint Sister held the reverent audience spellbound as their rapturous sound filled the auditorium of the Olympia Theatre.
Thankfully, I had my camera in my bag and managed to capture what turned out to be my favourite image of the year. Catching the light behind Morgan made for a ghostly, atmospheric shot - I'm already looking forward to seeing them again."
27) Nicholas O'Donnell - Shame - Tivoli Theatre - November
Photo by Nicholas O'Donnell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholasodonnell/
"This is what live music should be like, people jumping around the stage and giving it socks. Took a number of tries to catch him perfectly in the air."
28) Sarah Ryan - Sigrid - The Olympia Theatre - November
Photo by Sarah Ryan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sorchaniriain/
29) Killian Broderick - Soccer Mommy - The Grand Social - September
Photo by Killian Broderick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/killianbrod/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/killianbrod
"Soccer Mommy released one of my favourite albums of this year so to be able to shoot her was very exciting for me. I think this shot really embodies her spirit and attitude."
30) Ruth Medjber - St. Vincent - Electric Picnic - September
Photo by Ruth Medjber
Website: https://www.ruthlessimagery.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthlessimagery/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ruthlessimagery
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruthlessimagery
"On the days I need to be a badass bitch I channel my inner St. Vincent. Seeing her perform at Electric Picnic this year was inspiring. I had originally planned on leaving the fest after her set and heading off for an early night. She inspired me to get back on it, hit the bar and dance til 8am. It was mega hard choosing just one shot from her set. The whole gig was an insane visual delight. I went with this in the end, it's got the power stance, the curled lip, flick of the hair and her intense concentration on shredding."
31) Leah Carroll - Ty Segall - Tivoli Theatre - June
Photo by Leah Carroll
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audiofonikk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AudioFonic
"My favourite shot for 2018 is Ty Segall at The Tivoli Theatre. The mix of the venue and the act really came together. It was a last minute gig cover for The Thin Air and I really didn't know too much about Ty Segall before the gig. The crowd were really into it and the band reacted to their energy, building and building with every song. You could tell the security were a little concerned at the energy from the start, but the crowd were full of good vibes for Ty and he gave it his all. This shot epitomises the absolute bangers that Ty was unleashing on his unrelenting crowd."
32) Dara Munnis - Vulfpeck - The Olympia Theatre - October 2017
Photo by Dara Munnis
Website: http://www.daramunnis.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/daramunnis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/daramunnis
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/daramunnis
"I took this shot at the first of Vulfpeck’s two sold out shows in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre at the start of October 2017. I had spent the entirety of September on a European bus tour, so these two shows offered a great reason to head back to Dublin to visit my family and also catch up with who are probably my favourite band. I flew in the day before the show, and tragically, my luggage decided not to join me (thanks Vueling!), so, with most my camera gear left behind, I went in to these shows armed with just 1 camera and lone 35mm prime.
I *love* shooting like this, embracing the limitations and making the most of it. For this particular shot, I had a heads up that guitarist Cory Wong was going to make a surprise appearance in a box for the guitar solo of their song ‘Funky Duck’, and conveniently I had some friends occupying the box directly across from it, so I barged in and set myself up for this somewhat Wes Anderson-esque composition."
Camera settings : 1/200 f/2.0 ISO1600 - Canon 5D3 + EF35 1.4L USM
33) Niall O'Kelly - Vince Staples - Forbidden Fruit Festival - June
Photo by Niall O'Kelly
Website: https://niallokelly.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NOK_IMAGERY
"When it comes to festivals there's a thread with me, I always seem to be drawn to good hip-hop acts, it's completely unintentional, but as it happens, rap artists always seem to end up being the coolest shots from festivals for me, just like Vince Staples right here at Forbidden Fruit!"
