IRISH CLIFF SIDE with emily

We missed our train to Galway by about 30 seconds. Any other train station in the world and I may have shed a frustrated tear due to the sabotage of my decade-long vision for this shoot. Lucky for us, the train station we were newly destination-less in was that of Dublin, where the people may be the actual nicest in the world. Two off-duty transportation workers leaned over my phone as I pinched and zoomed in on a map, pointing out alternative locations for a cliff-side photo shoot.

We hopped into a cab for an aggressively accelerating, braking, and nauseating drive towards Howth, with no specific idea of where to ask to be let out. A dead-end or two later, we spotted a pub (I.love.this.place.) where an Irish angel tending bar pointed us towards a path that would take us to the cliff, warning that it was especially cold and windy that day.

I’ve never been the kind of photographer that plans for or expects perfect lighting at the perfect time with the perfect location, bringing along a team and a rolling rack of wardrobe. I’d instead rather meander with only a backpack until the light makes me gasp and inspiration blooms organically.

Hearing the waves crashing we knew we were close. We followed the curve in the path and there it was. Emily’s shoot set. The wind and mist whipped at us; me wincing and shrieking at every blast of close air, Emily calm as could be, game to hang off the edge of a cliff in nothing but a few sheer pieces of fabric.

It all unfolded so beautifully. Emily.

Emily.
Emily.
Emily.

Powerful and delicate. Natural and supernatural. A soft warrior. It almost pains me to share these in a digital space when I compare them to the prints.

“Muse” isn’t a generous enough word. She moves like a floating feather, she is as strong as she is smart, an exceptional conversationalist, and seemingly unbothered by extreme weather conditions and passersby.

For me, this day and these images will be held in the highest regard for perhaps the rest of time. Feeling a persistent calling to return to Ireland for the first time since I was a teenager, I knew that working with Emily here would be powerful, artistic, and otherworldly. In fact it was.

I have immense gratitude for Emily Joy, the warm and delightful people of Ireland, and mother nature for this destination shoot experience. What a blessing.

Offering bespoke destination photo shoot experiences to wherever you feel called is a service that I take so much pride in.

This shoot from nearly 2 years ago allowed me to reconnect to the sheer bliss I feel when shooting on location amidst mother nature’s canvases. It is what inspired me to incorporate destination photo shoot experiences into my client offerings.

Where would you want to go?

To read more about destination experiences with Kara Marie, click HERE.