Alison is a country girl from north County Dublin and has made a second home in West Cork for the last 5 years. She has a background in media and sales but went out on her own as a freelance photographer and media consultant over 10 years ago. She recently incorporated to a company specialising in commercial photography, audio, visual solutions and consultancy. Together with Michael O’Sullivan, another commercial photographer hailing from Cork, they travel all over Ireland and destinations for their commercial work and business.
Q1-How does your normal day begin?
Good strong Barry’s gold label tea with breakfast. Then work starts it could be getting ready to go on the road for a photo shoot or if working at the studio then post-production work, emails, telephone calls, meetings, paperwork, marketing etc. We recently travelled to the Limerick Greenway to do photography, videography and drone so that required a couple of days on location. The next week it was Kerry, on a private commission, doing a photoshoot travelling up the mountains on 4×4 quad machines, so no day is ever the same!
Q2 What are your biggest daily challenges?
Time and communication! Everything takes time and communication is highly underrated.
From travelling to delivering to deadlines, not to mention having time for a personal life that includes private travel as well as trips for commercial work and business.
Q3 What do you love most about your job?
The freedom and scope of living a creative life, owning a company, being the boss and controlling one’s destiny. Commercial photography presents wonderful opportunities to meet all kinds of walks of life, experiences and travel.
Q4 What do you do to relax?
If at home in West Cork, meditating, chilling out in the library, playing the grand piano or hosting photography workshops on the Wild Atlantic Way as the coast and forest trails are all within walking distance. If going out, then there are great choices for food, wine and music both in West Cork and the city. If it wasn’t the photographic world it would definitely be the travel and tourism!
Q5 Favourite staycation destination in Ireland?
I’ve travelled and stayed in many places all over Ireland. Cork is huge…I cannot pick a favourite in West Cork!
Q6 Favourite holiday destination worldwide?
Greece and the islands are one of the favourites. Planning to go to Africa later this year to strike off the bucket list, so hopefully, this will also be added to the favourites.
Q7 Favourite Business motto?
There are 3 things a photographer needs to do a good photoshoot…light, space and time!
Q8 Advice for young business entrepreneurs?
Do what inspires and makes you passionate. Don’t work or take a job for the money, unless money is the only thing you’re passionate about.
I love Alan Watts’s “What if Money Was No Object?”
