We are so happy to share once again the work and year of one of our favorite photographers, Peter O'Donnell. You may remember that we featured Peter as our January Photographer of the Month. He was recently awarded the Prestigious QEP award (from the Federation of European Photographers) and I think is the first Irish photographer to be awarded a QEP for Landscape. I am not surprised - he is the most talented photographer I've ever seen.
Without any further ado, here's our update from Peter...
2009 has been an interesting year in many respects. It has had its
share of ups and downs. Over all the year has thought me to look at
what I do and reappraise how I make a living from photography and why
I photograph what I photograph.
The biggest disappointment for me was the realization that our gallery
in Castleconnell was no longer a viable option. Ireland is, for want
of a better word, bankrupt. Last October, sales from the gallery
started to decline as the recession bit deeper. Our lease was up in
April and the figures just didn’t add up. A failure, no, a
disappointment, certainly.
On a brighter note. I was honored to be awarded an Associateship by
the Irish Professional Photographers Association. I was awarded this
last October and I still smile to myself every now and again.
I still have to make a living from photography and with all that has
happened this year, it is encouraging, to say the least, that you can
still make a living from a profession that I love and for me, is the
best job in the world.
People still have to see my work and one way of doing this is our
calendar. This is our fourth calendar and in my opinion one that is
very close to my heart. I have to admit that I was very selfish when
choosing the images this year. All of the images selected are of the
Comeragh mountains in County Waterford. The Comeraghs are a very
special place for me and a location that I almost consider a muse.
The cover features one of my favorite images of the year. “An Reithe”
- The Ram, was taken in the Nire Valley. It was an overcast but nice
day and I guess I caught the interest of this sheep as he escorted me
out of his patch of bog.
Sunset and, in particular, dawn are very special times of the day and
even more so when you have them all to yourself. Being the only person
on a mountain watching the day awaken is a humbling experience to say
the least.
I haven’t forgotten about our notorious bad weather either and one of
my favorite shots of the year features two tiny people watching the
rain clouds gather.
Each month has an image of the beautiful Comeragh Mountains. I hope,
when you look through the calendar, you can see why this area is so
special to me.
With the changes in business, I have had to ask myself where do I want
to go with my photography. When you see the natural beauty that
Ireland has to offer, it’s not too difficult to see where the path is
leading you. There might not be a rainbow at the end, but I have a
wonderful road to travel...in the most beautiful country in the
world.
Peter O'Donnell, Photographer
A.I.P.P.A
Newgarden, Lisnagry, Co. Limerick, Ireland
061 - 219836
look[at]thewidereye.com www.thewidereye.com
All photos courtesy and copyright Peter O'Donnell.