Press Photography For Irish Government Ministers

I have been asked to provide press photography for Irish government ministers on visits to West Cork a number of times over the years. There is usually great excitement at the location where the Teachta Dála is due to visit and there is definitely a hint of showbiz razmataz and star quality attached to the event.

My main task is to produce images of the Ministers of State that are press friendly, that the newspapers and online outlets are willing to use.

These photographs have to be punchy and well lit, and they also have to have the names of the people in the photograph correctly spelt and in the correct order, along with a brief caption that explains the photograph. I sometimes write the caption and sometimes they are supplied by the press officer looking after the event.

This caption has to be inserted into the File Info section of the photograph in Photoshop so that the journalist can retrieve it quickly and use it to caption the photograph in print or online.

My second task is to produce images for the business owner as mementos of the visit. They often want photographs of themselves and their family members with the Minister, which I am more than happy to do, as it adds to the historical document of their family.

My third task, which is probably my favourite part of the photography, is to capture the random encounters, the unguarded moments, the unscripted events that tell the story of the day and reveal the true nature of the event.

I’m not out to paparazzi anyone or to make anyone look bad by capturing something embarrassing. I just love to be the reportage photographer, the fly on the wall who documents the genuine laughter and excitement of the day the Minister came to visit.