“Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.”
~ Mary Oliver
Déirdre is a photographer and teacher living on the beautiful Curragh of Kildare, (but not quite close enough to the sea). Forever fascinated by the wild world around us, photography was a perfect tool to indulge that curiosity.
Déirdre tries to make images that embody what it felt like, the stories told by the most ordinary (and extraordinary) of moments.
Nature is not just a backdrop but an integral part of the stories she tells. She is intrigued by the connection between people and the natural world, and the sense of belonging and care (and wildness) that inspires in us all.
She finds joy in creating art that reminds us of ever-present beauty, images that inspire us to connect with ourselves, each other, and the world around us; the care with which a cheetah mama nudges her cub into the undergrowth and a mother stroking the head of her baby as she feeds are different expressions of the same language.
Déirdre’s work spans diverse landscapes, cultures and experiences. Her photography is a celebration of the moments that define the human experience.
She sees photography as a way to explore our shared humanity while creating awareness and understanding of what lies beyond the familar.
My Approach:
“I love a good story.
A well-told story can change our perspective, remind us of something important, make us act, inspire wonder, make us laugh or cry (or both).
I think photographs are a wonderful canvas for a good story- the light, a look, a gesture that says everything. I’m kind of obsessed with these little details that allow us to tell a story in a single frame.
I also love that a story doesn’t have to be epic to be great. There is beauty and magic in the most ordinary of moments that make up a life. That’s why I’m drawn to a documentary style, prefering organic, honest and a bit of wildness over anything that feels forced or staged.
I’m so honoured to be asked to help people tell their stories.”