From her first email, Erin spoke my language.
I’m a journalist and your work reminds me of all my photog friends. You capture life as it happens.
Living in the United States and from Irish descent, Erin wanted to surprise her husband with a family photoshoot while they were visiting Ireland again.
6 years ago, Sean proposed to Erin on the Hill of Tara, so it was only natural to return there with me, and their son Jack.
We want our little boy to see the place we got engaged.
I suggested that we start the session at Bellinter’s house where they were staying, in their bedroom. First of all, it’s a beautiful location and most importantly, photographs taken in a vacation accommodation (with all the “mess” we bring with us when we travel with a small one) would bring them right back to their holiday later on.
We would then go together to the Hill of Tara and I would photograph their family as their explored together and reminisced their proposal.
Erin had been to the Hill of Tara many years ago with a friend and the wishing well held a special place in her heart. Sean didn’t know that when he chose to propose there a few years later.
Hearing their story felt very special and a bit surreal… and when we got to the wishing well, a new bench had been erected and it said “Jack’s Seat”. I think we all felt the magical power of the Hill of Tara and its legends at that particular moment! You couldn’t make it up.
Erin LOVED the idea.
It’s all these small moments that matter but no one captures. I want these photos to capture us as we are right now. Raising a toddler in the rough and tumble of living a life.
(Yes, Erin knows how to write!)
We never had proper engagement photos taken! And we were returning to the spot where we got engaged, so I wanted someone, the right someone, to capture that moment for us.
As a journalist, I treasure photos that show people living everyday life, and I wanted that part of us captured. When I found Johanna’s website, I loved her shots. Her ability to tell a story with an artistic eye. I wanted to touch her photos. They’re visceral experiences.
The day was everything I hoped it would be. I felt so seen. So special. Jack took to Johanna right away, and she captured little moments of him and us with him, just as I’d hoped she would.
She put me and Sean at ease right away. After a few great shots, I’d asked her to take, we all got into our rental and Sean drove us through narrow hedge-lined roads to the Hill of Tara. Being back for the first time since we got engaged there in 2014 but now with the addition of little Jack was special enough, but having Johanna with us to take photos as we lived the experience meant so much.
And the results — such perfect images to remind us of that day together and Jack as an 18-month-old — were exactly what I wanted. They mean the world to me. As a mom, I feel how quick time passes in my bones, and how fleeting every moment is. She froze that experience for us. She stopped time!
I marvel at our photos around our house daily and feel the power of that day.
My wedding photos were not exactly what I wanted, and in many ways, this photoshoot with Johanna made up for that.
Thank you again Erin for having me capture that special day for you. It was an honour!
