When clients hire a photographer, they don't always know what they've done before- in terms of training and years on the job. I first picked up a camera in 2009 and decided I wanted to be a photographer. Obviously it wasn't as simple as that. Buying a camera during a recession proved difficult. Also getting experience, with no experience was hard. But I got jobs straight away- not many, and I decided to take them even though I didn't really know what I was doing. Learning by making mistakes is the only way to learn sadly- in photography and in life. I also took courses with FAS in photoshop, the Photography Institute and many others over the years. Here's a list of the most recent: 

January 2023- Digital Marketing UCD- €1700. ucd.ie  

October 2022 -Lighting and wedding portraits with in London with Chris Chambers €450 plus flights and accommodation. www.chrischambersphotography.co.uk

Summer 2021 Switzerland four glacier research photography for climate change MsC. total cost €7200. dcu.ie

2021 Martin Osner online training in Cape Town. +€350 www.osnergallery.com

2020 Martin Osner online training Cape Town + €200

2020 Mike's Camera with Keith Ladzinski, Cory Richards and Dave Black + €400

Online Business training with Cory Richards www.mikescamera.com

2020 online lighting with Joey Terrill

2019 Summit Photography Adventure in Jackson Hole, Wyoming: total €3800. www.summitworkshops.com

2019- Martin Osner Cape Town €160. 

The list goes back to 2009, but I won't bore you.

I've used Canon since starting my career and use only the best accessories as any short cuts will be punished. I buy most of my gear at www.connscameras.ie and buy the most expensive hard drives, SD cards and gear on the market. 

When you hire a photographer, you don't just pay them for an hour for showing up, you pay for all the above- plus the endless hours editing and learning online. 

Sometimes people say- we're expensive- now you know why. If a photographer is too cheap- they probably take short cuts.  

In modern social media life, it seems everyone wants to have the freelance writing, photography, social entrepreneur life and they want it straight away. This means, they'll do the job for less. They'll bring the price right down and devalue what others are doing.

So if you want to hire photographer who is good, check out their website. It's a simple as that. If it's good and the images are good and the client testimonials are good, you can be assured, this person knows what they're doing.

The beauty of photography is its transparency. Unlike lots of other online jobs- like SEO or social media companies, who can't hide behind technology. We will get found out. 

So once you decide that hiring a photographer for personal or professional purposes and decided Barbara McCarthy Photos fits all he criteria, here's what happens:

Type Barbara McCarthy Photos into Google, my business name comes up and then you can call and chat about what you need. You can also find me under Dublin based corporate photographer, Photographer in Rathmines, Dublin based outdoor photographer and Photographer in Dublin.

I focus on portrait, editorial and commercial photography, so my clients include corporate clients, entrepreneurs, sports people and private clients looking for family photos or celebrating special moments like christenings, weddings or birthdays. I also work with tourist agencies, newspapers and PR companies. I love my job and I love meeting people and doing something different every day. I work with soft boxes and lights, as well as natural lighting.

If  you hire me, I will arrive half an hour early- or more  pending on the shoot and set up the lights and position myself. I will also talk to you about what you want from the shoot- be it corporate headshots or commercial work.

One of the most important things about being a photographer is having a personality and being able to deal with an array of clients.  

I believe this is key to the experience. I've photographed the Queen one day and a homeless person the next. I've photographer criminals and CEOs, movie directors, movie stars, children and people with special needs. All of these jobs require humility and connection. I don't think you can connect with someone and get a great photo if you don't have a deeper understanding of the human condition. It is everything. 

So I hope you have a little more understanding of me, my work and my history. Next time you need a photographer, check out Barbara McCarthy Photos on www.barbaramccarthyphotos.com and my soon to be blog page www.barbaramccarthyphotos.blog - which will have even more information on taking photos and packages I offer. Thanks for reading and see you soon. Call me on +353 892195385 and email me on barbaramccarthyphotos@gmail.com.

#barbaramccarthyphotos #dublinphotographer #dublinphotography #photos #portraitphotographer.